The Hidden Threat
by staceydj
Summary: A young girl, a hidden secret, who would she reveal it to? would it destroy Earth, as we know it?
1. Chapter 1

SG1 was on PX-989, and had been there for days. They had met the Jibaritan people. A rough people, they were, quite primitive looking but the resources they had on their planet were astounding. SG1 began negotiating with the Jibaritan people, and had made great progress. O'Neill, Teal'c, and Daniel had done most of the negotiations. Carter was back at the base, dealing with some errors the gate was registering. After their discussions SG1 returned to the SGC to debrief General Hammond. They all then returned to the planet, including Major Carter.

"A women?" Tenan, the leader of the Jibaritan people, said in astonishment.

"Um, yes, we have them on our planet as well" O'Neill stated in a sarcastic tone.

Suddenly the teamed realized, during their times of negotiations, they did not see any women.

"Do women not exist amongst your people?" Daniel asked curiously.

"Of course we have women, but they remain hidden and only used for our need and pleasures…." stated the Jibaritan leader, in laughter.

Major Carter stomach turned. She realized that women here where below any standards they had. She wanted off this planet as soon as possible.

"How you use your women, is your prerogative…..we on other the hand use them for what they are purposed for……………. pleasure…." Smirked Tenan.

"We will have the rest of your request by end of next moon" Tenan stated,

"I have…Tenan smirked as he continued his remarks, "things to attend to" "I will return to your planet, as we discussed with the final request" .

SG1 looked at each other and knew where he was headed. By this point O'Neill could tell that Carter wanted to snap his neck.

"Thank you for your hospitality." Daniel stated trying not to sound like he wanted to throw up.

"Um…your woman can place the items, in that area there" Tenan pointed to a small shed area.

"See you next moon then" he stated as he turned away into his temple.

"Let's get this stuff put away, and get the heck out of here" Carter stated with entered the room and it was filled with artifacts and items that Daniel, if left alone would have had a field day with.

"Don't even think about it Daniel." O'Neill stated. He already knew what Daniel was thinking. Suddenly a small figure appeared from the back.

"Hello, is anyone there?" Carter asked.

She can tell there was someone there, but they would not make themselves known.

"It's ok. We are not going to hurt you. We are just placing these items, here and then we will be on our way." Carter stated trying to reassure whomever it was that they were not in danger.

"You're a……a………..you're a women" the hidden voice from the darkness said.

Carter by this point was getting annoyed by the constant surprise that yes she was a women. But as she processed the voice, she realized that in fact it was a woman that was stating the obvious fact.

"Yes, I am….what is your name?" Carter asked, treading lightly.

"We are not allowed to speak to outsiders" another voice came from the distance.

"My name is Amiri" stated the girl, walking towards the light, closer to the team. She gently reached for Carter's hand and touched it. Carter felt a small electric surge when Amiri touched her. She attributed it to just some static, so she mentioned nothing.

"Hello Amiri, I'm Sam" Carter answered back, hoping to gain Amiri's out of the darkness, came this slim girl. She was beautiful, but very pale. She was definitely malnourished.

"You are the outsiders that Tenan has traded with, yes?" Amiri asked.

"Yes we are" Carter replied. Taking note of her appearance.

"We have always been told that women could never be more than pleasers and attendants to men" Amiri said.

"You mustn't Amiri, you know the punishment for speaking" yelled another from the distance. "

Do you please men as well, or is your duty just a militant duty?" Amiri asked.

"Amiri we must go, we must go now!!!!" the others stated as they tried to drag her away.O'Neill practically choked on Amiri's questions. Carter gave him a dirty look. She carefully thought out her response, since she knew that their culture was different, although she disagreed with it she could not interfere. Suddenly a noise came from outside.

"I most go, please, I beg of you. Do not mention I spoke with you, please…." Amiri begged Carter, as she ran anyway into the darkness. Before she left she turned to look at Carter and smiled. There was something about this girl that Carter couldn't shake.

"Carter, let's go!!!!!!" O'Neill shouted. Carter placed all the items down in their appropriate place, and left the shed. They all walked towards the gate, but Carter was definitely they walked towards the gate, O'Neill could tell that Carter was pensive.

"penny for them?" O'Neill said as he leaned into her.

"Sorry sir," she said, "There's something about that girl, Sir. She wasn't supposed to speak and yet, she did. She wasn't fearful, as the others were." "I don't know, Sir…." Carter said.

He could tell that it was bothering her. The whole "women are for pleasure" thing, didn't sit well with him either. The girl was young, and to think what they were using her for, truly bothered Carter.

"Well dial us home Carter" O'Neill quickly changed the subject.

"Yes Sir" Carter snapped back, and began to dial entered the gate with no incidence. General Hammond waited for them at the bottom of the ramp.

"Welcome back SG1. I assume all went well?" Hammond asked.

"Yes Sir, Smooth as ice" O'Neill said.

"We'll debrief at 2300 hours" Hammond walked down the ramp, Carter still pensive.

"I suddenly feel like I need a shower" Carter said. She felt disgusted by what she learned about the people of PX989. It reminded her all too well, about her visit to the planet Simarka. SG1 headed down the ramp. They showered and then met in the debriefing room to discuss their mission. They informed Hammond that the trade went well, and that Tenan would be returning with the remainder of the trade. Hammond dismissed them, and they left the room.

"Carter" O'Neill called out to her.

"Yes Sir" Carter replied. O'Neill could tell that during the whole debriefing she was in another world.

"Sir…it's just that there was something about that girl that I can't shake" Carter said.

"You think maybe Jolinar has something to do with it?" O'Neill asked wondering if she was experiencing a Jolinar episode.

"Maybe" she said. "But I'm not sure" "Well, we could go back if you want?" O'Neill stated, knowing her answer.

"Ah no…I'd rather not…I guess I'll just have to live with it" Carter said, and gave him her famous both smiled and went there way. Although Carter did state it was something she had to live with, she still couldn't sever the connection she felt towards Amiri. She had only just met her, but the overwhelming urge to protect her, was something Carter could not shake.


	2. Chapter 2

Several months had passed. The Jibaritan people still had trade negotiations with the SGC. Carter knew she hadn't seen the last of Tenan. The thoughts of him would make her stomach turn.

"Off-world activation" Walter voices came through the intercoms.

Carter made her way to the gate room. When she got there, O'Neill Teal'c and Daniel were already greeting Tenan. But he wasn't airmen grabbed the boxes of their final trade agreements. They all shook hands.

"It was an honor doing business with you." Tenan said. There was a figure beside him. They were wrapped in a cloak, and you could not see their face, but you can tell they were frightened. They were trembling so much the team was concerned they were going to fall off the ramp.

"And as a token of our appreciation and alliance, we'd like to present you with a gift" Tenan proceeded to say.

He removed the cloak, and they all stood in silence. It was Amiri. The fear in her face alarmed them all. She stood there naked, bruised. She knew that if they would acknowledge that they spoke back at her planet he would kill her instantly. For it was forbidden to speak to others. They all stood silently.

"Speak" Tenan shouted as he prodded her back like cattle.

Amiri was in sheer terror. She could barely stand. She mustered up enough courage to barely say "Hello, I am Amiri, I am your servant and slave to all that you require" .

No one said a word. They all began to realize that Tenan was offering up Amiri, a human being, as a gift, a gift of pleasure.

"Um...thanks Tenan, but no thanks, I don't think we will be needing Amiri's services" O'Neill stated as he glanced towards Carter.

Carter stared at Amiri, in shock of how someone can do this to a human being. Carter quickly removed her jacket, and ran towards Amiri and tried to cover her as best as possible.

"Please...please...don't send me back... I'll do whatever you ask ...please" Amiri yelled with all her might.

Tenan quickly turned and slapped her, barely missing Carter. His strike was so fierce it knocked her to the floor.

"Silence you defiant beast. I did not give you permission to speak". He shouted.

Tenan went to kick her and without even thinking Carter took his foot, and flipped him on his back.

"You deviant bitch" tenan said as he went to strike Carter. O'Neill quickly grabbed his arm, and brought him to his feet.

"Carter, stand down, ...stand down Carter" O'Neill said. He can tell she wanted to rip this man to shreds.

Although O'Neill had the same sentiments, he knew they had to remain civilized.

"On second thought Tenan, we will graciously accept your offer" O'Neill stated.

"Dial the gate" O'Neill shouted. He knew that he had to get Tenan back to his planet before Carter had a chance to follow through with her intentions.

"Ahhh this is outrageous. I am done here. You got your resources, and we got ours. Our agreement is final." Tenan shouted. With that he turned and walked through the Stargate. He was gone. Amiri was still trembling. She could barely stand. When she saw that Tenan was gone, she collapsed on the ramp. O'Neill quickly ran to her.

"I need a medical team to the gate room STAT" shouted Carter.

Amiri was pale, and extremely under weight. O'Neil quickly placed her on the gernie and the med team rushed her to the infirmary. They all followed a foot.

"What happened? Who is this? "Dr. Frasier asked as the nurses starting assessing her condition.

"She is a gift from the Jibitarians" Teal'c stated.

"A gift?" Dr. Frasier said with confusion. "Dear God, what did they do to her" Frasier asked as she pulled of Carters jacket. There was bruising all over body. She was so skinny her ribs were easily seen through her skin.

"Start an IV drip immediately" Frasier said. They all stood in the infirmary.

"I'm sorry but you all have to leave. I will update you of her condition once I learn more." Frasier stated.

They all slowly left the infirmary but did not go far. Hours went by. By this time, Carter was the only person left waiting in the hallway. The others went on their way knowing the doctor would alert them of Amiris condition once the results of her test had returned.

"hey.." Frasier stated to a worried Carter. "You can come in if you want?" Frasier said.

Carter gave her a half smile, and slowly walked into the infirmary. There laid a human being who had been treated as garbage, fighting for her life. She walked towards her and held her hand. Again, she felt that small electric surge, but didn't think much of it. All she knew was that fate had brought Amiri to her. The connection she had with Amiri was like a little sister needing protection. Why? She didn't know. She was just glad that Amiri was no longer in Tenans grasp. She could live a normal life here on earth. She just hoped she would get to live.


	3. Chapter 3

They all met in the debriefing room.

"How is she Dr." Hammond stated.

"She is extremely weak. Honestly I don't know how she has held on this long. According to her results she is severely anemic, and malnourished. There are also signs of other abuse" she stated.

"What kind of abuse" Hammond stated. Although they all knew by just looking at Amiri, that she had been physically abused, Dr. Frasier still had to finish her analysis.

"Amiri has been sexually abused. She has severe bruising and tearing" Frasier stated with a choke in her voice. She hadn't seen anything like this. Carters head dropped. The emotions boiling inside her began to defeat her. As she fought back the tears, that so wanted to fall from her eyes, she suddenly rose to her feet, and ran to the nearest trash can. Her entire day's worth of food had come up. She was sick to her stomach.

"Carter" O'Neill yelled as he ran towards her to hold her head.

"Hey, hey you ok?" he asked.

"I'm sorry Sir, as she wiped her mouth, I'm ok.. I'm ok" Carter said.

"Major are you alright?" Hammond stated worried about his officer.

"Yes Sir, I'm ok.. I'm sorry" Carter profusely apologized. She made her way back to her seat. Dr. Frasier monitored Carter as they continued the debriefing. She had grown pale. She did not like the way she looked, but she didn't say anything.

"I don't know what other mental and emotional trauma she has experienced. Physically with rest and treatment, she will be ok. It's the mental and emotional part of this that I'm not sure she will be able to recover from. She is not on her planet, and we are all strangers to her." Frasier said.

"Welll..Not exactly" Carter stated still fighting the nausea that had taken control of her stomach.

"While on PX989, we met Amiri. We were placing the supplies we traded with the Jibatirans, in a small shed. Amiri was hiding. When she saw us, she spoke to us. There were others there, and tried to stop her from conversing with us. But she was very curious. We did not get to say much, but she did warn us not to mention that we had spoken. It is forbidden for them to speak without being asked." Carter stated.

"Since then Carter hasn't been able to get her off her mind" O'Neill blurted out.

"Colonel" Carter yelled.

"I'm sorry Carter, but don't you find it a bit odd that since we visited PX989, you haven't been able to shake Amiri. And then poof, Tenan, out of all the women they have at their disposal, offers her up to us, Amiri of all people as a gift?" O'Neill said as he looked at Carter bewildered.

"Well we won't know anything till she awakens. Till then, I will keep you all abreast of her condition" Dr. Frasier stated.

"Thank you Doctor" Hammond said.

"Major, is this going to be a problem" Hammond asked.

"No Sir" Major Carter stated.

"Sir, it's more of a sisterly protection. After my experience at Simarka, and the way they treated women there, I just felt protective over her. That's all". Major Carter stated.

"Well I don't have a good feeling about this….that's my opinion" O'Neill chimmed in.

"Well until we find out more information from Dr. Frasier, we will keep Amiri under guard" Hammond stated.

"Sir is that really necessary. Hasn't she been through enough already than to wake up under men with guns" Major Carter stated. At this point she was extremely upset.

"It's for her and our own protection, Major" Hammond stressed.

"Dismissed"

Carter swiftly got up and almost bolted out of the briefing room. O'Neill was right behind grabbed her arm. Bodily contact was odd for them, so she immediately turned and looked at him.

"Hey…listen I'm sorry I called you out in there, but something just doesn't feel right" O'Neill said.

Carter was angry. But she knew he was her CO. So she calmed herself as best she could.

"I'm fine Sir, now if you could please let me go, I'd like to check in on her, if that's ok with you?" She said, with some sarcasm in her voice.O'Neill knew she wasn't fine. But he let her be. He released his grasp on her arm.

"Fine" he stated as he returned to his office.

He knew this was all too coincidental, but there was nothing he could do about till Amiri regained consciousness. He had a slew of questions for her. If it involved his 2IC, he wanted to know if this Amiri could be a hidden danger. He was determined to find out.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Carter visited with Amiri as much as she could. Amiri slept for days as if she had never slept. She slowly started to regain her coloring, and the bruises had gotten lighter. Between gate repairs and diagnostics Carter was quite busy. But she made it a point to see Amiri every-day. She knew the road ahead of her was going to be a tough one.

Carter sat in her lab running her usually diagnostics. She was extremely tired, more than her usual tiredness. She attributed it to the stress she was under with Amiri and wanting her to be ok.

KNOCK KNOCK-- "Carter" O'Neill stated. He walked in to see a sleeping Carter. She had drifted to sleep in her lab. Her head was down, lying on her arms.

"Carter" O'Neill stated again, but she didn't respond. He leaned into her cheek, and whispered "Major Carter".

"Hmmm...mmm" she slowly awoke. When she realized she had drifted to sleep, she immediately sat at attention. "Sir...I'm sorry Sir.....i guess I fell asleep" she said, still groggy.

"I guess you did Carter." O'Neill stated with concern in his voice. As she tried to gain her focus, she placed her hands on the desk, with her arms stretched out straight.

"Carter you o.k?" O'Neill said seeing she was trying to regain her balance.

"I'm fine Sir....just a little dizzy" Carter admitted.

"Carter, when's the last time you ate something?" He asked.

"Sir...I'm really not that hungry" Carter said. The thought of food, made her stomach turn. For the past several weeks, she was not able to even think of food.

"Carter we are going to the mess hall, and we are getting you something to eat" O'Neill stated.

"Sir, please, you don't understand" Carter said as she tried to fight the wave of nausea that was suddenly creeping up on her.

"Carter I am not asking. That is an order" O'Neill stated as he grabbed her arm and started escorting her to the mess hall.

"Sir" was all Carter was able to get out before she threw up all over Colonel O'Neill.

"God Carter" O'Neill said as he was bathed in vomit.

"I'm sorry Sir, I tried to warn you" Carter said as she tried to steady herself.

"Carter what is going on with you?" O'Neill said. He helped her back into her chair, and went to grab some towels to clean themselves up.

"I'm sorry Sir, I just haven't been feeling myself lately" Carter admitted.

"How long has this been going on?" He asked, wondering if this had anything to do with Amiri.

"It's just been a couple of days...." Carter said.

"Carter?" O'Neill said knowing she was lying remembering her episode in the briefing room.

"o.k. it's been a couple of weeks, but Sir, its ok...it's probably just a bug. It will pass" Carter stated trying to convince her CO she was fine.

"You and I are headed to the showers" O'Neill said, "well separate showers of course" he restated. "You are then to report to the infirmary".

"Sir..I am fine, please" Carter tried to convince him.

"Carter, I can make it an order, but I'd rather not" O'Neill stated trying to not throw his rank.

"Fine, Sir" Carter agreed reluctantly. They both made their way to the showers and changed out of their soiled clothes. When they reached the infirmary, Dr. Frasier was their adjusting Amiris medication.

"Major? Colonel?" Dr, Frasier stated. "What can I do for you?"

Before Carter could get a word out, O'Neill spat out "You need to check Carter out"

"Sam, what's going on?" Frasier asked.

"Really it's nothing, Janet, just a queasy stomach that's all" Carter stated trying to down play how she was really feeling.

"She's not eating, she threw up all over me in her lab, and could barely stand" O'Neil stated. "I call that something"....

"Janet, I'm fine, it's the Colonel that insisted I see you" Carter stated

"Well since you are already here, let's just run some test, and see if we find something ok?" Dr. Frasier said.

"I'll be back in an hour. From here you are going home Carter. I'll watch Amiri, and I'll let you know how she's doing. Please don't have to make me make that an order?" O'Neill stated.

"Sir, please, I am fine. I really do not want to leave the base till Amiri wakes up. We connected at her planet, and I am not sure how she is going to react when she wakes up to people she does not know" Carter said with deep concern in her voice.

"Know? Carter, you met her for 5 minutes on her planet. You don't know her, and she doesn't know you" O'Neill stated. He was starting to get annoyed.

"You still feel a connection to her, don't you Sam?" Dr. Frasier asked.

"Yes, and before you ask, I don't know why?" Carter said. Starting to feel queasy again. She grasped her stomach.

"Ok..Ok...relax Sam its ok. Why don't you lie down, and let me run some test. In the meantime you can rest here." Dr. Frasier said as she helped Sam down on the gerny.

"How is Amiri?" Carter asked trying to fight the nausea.

"Her condition remains the same" Dr. Frasier stated. Carter was saddened. She had hoped that she had improved a little. She could only hope that she would awaken soon.

Carter's tests were done. She was showing signs of dehydration so Dr. Frasier ordered an IV drip. By this time she was quite annoyed. She just wanted to get back to work. She laid there thinking about Amiri. The connection was started to make her wonder. Then she thought back to the planet. She remembered the energy surged she experience when Amiri touched her. And then again, when she touched her again when she arrived at the SGC.

"Could that be our connection?" she asked herself. But how? Her mind was filled with questions. O'Neill had walked into the infirmary. Carter was so lost in thought she didn't even realize he was standing at the foot of her bed.

"So you're fine huh?" He said sarcastically.

"I'm just a little dehydrated Sir. All my test came back normal" Carter stated.

"Well if you were fine you wouldn't be hooked up to IV, would you?" O'Neill said with some gratification in his voice. He knew his 2IC very well. Well enough to know when she wasn't herself.

"Carter, as soon as Dr. Frasier clears you, I want you to go home. Do you understand me?" O'Neill stated in a firm voice.

Once Dr. Frasier released Carter she headed back to her lab. She knew she had been practically ordered to go home, but it wasn't exactly an order. They had already come and cleaned up her lab from her previous bought of nausea, so she was able to return to a clean lab. Just then O'Neill walked by.

"I'm sorry, I must be seeing things. It seems I see a Major Carter in her lab, when I ordered her to go home" O'Neill stated annoyingly.

"Sorry Sir, but I just wanted to collect some things before I left. And technically you did not order me too......Sir" she answered back sarcastically hoping to lighten the already tense situation.

"Fine then...Major Carter I am ordering you to get your geeky ass home to rest" O'Neill shouted.

Carter was surprised at his reference. She was upset. She knew he was concerned but she didn't want to leave.

She bowed her head in embarrassment for O'Neill was definitely heard by the airman outside her lab.

"Yes Sir" was all she was able to get out. She grabbed her laptop and her brief case, and headed out. O'Neill knew her well enough to know she could get distracted so he followed her out. She wanted to tell him she didn't need the escort, but she knew she had already pissed him off enough; she just let him escort her to her car.

She unlocked the car and placed her belongings in the passenger seat.

"Carter" O'Neill broke the silence.

"Listen I didn't mean to yell, but I know you well enough to know that you are not yourself. And if you keep pushing yourself you are going to burn out. I need my 2IC 100%, not 80 not 90" He said trying to show her how concerned he was.

"I know Sir, and I'm sorry I defied your order....Sir" Carter said.

She started the car up, and he stood in the driveway till he saw her taillights fade away. Something was up. Something was happening, but he had no clue what it was or how to stop it. But if it took everything in him, he wasn't going to get to the bottom of this.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

O'Neill made his way to the infirmary. He wanted to talk to Frasier without Carter around.

"Colonel...I released Major Carter already..." Dr. Frasier stated.

"Yea, I know........ I just escorted her off the mountain and sent her home" O'Neill said.

"Doc listen....can you tell me anything, anything about this girl" O'Neill asked.

Dr. Frasier could tell he was concerned. "Colonel, there is nothing different about Amiri. Her physical make-up is much like ours and...." "Much like??" O'Neill interrupted.

"Well, she has a slight difference in her frontal lobe, much like Jonas did. Which means she probably has advance learning capability. But other than there is nothing that is out of the ordinary" Dr. Frasier stated.

"Why?" Dr. Frasier asked O'Neill. "I can't shake that this whole thing with Carter, has something to do with Amiri. When we were on the planet, she had only met Amiri for as long as we all did, yet she suddenly felt this tie to her that she couldn't explain. Ever since then, she's been acting different."O'Neill explained to Dr. Frasier.

"Well Sir, as far as I can tell and I have run all the test possible; there is nothing about Amiri that we should be alarmed about" Dr. Frasier said.

"Ok...Thanks Doc. Let me know as soon as she wakes up. I have some questions to ask her" O'Neill stated. He respected the Doctors evaluation, but he still had a slew of questions he wanted to ask Amiri.

Carter was home. She realized that it wasn't such a bad idea to leave. She was exhausted. She started a warm bath, poured herself a glass of wine and decided to take it easy. She realized that the Colonel was right. She wasn't herself. She couldn't watch his six, if she was burnt out. She entered the bathroom and slipped into the warm bath. She began to relax and dozed off.

_"I am so frightened Catek". Amiri said sobbing. Amiri sat in a dark tunnel, lit by only a few candles. "What have I done that they feel they need to give me away. I thought Tenan was happy with my performance and my dedication to his services"_

_"Child.. I do not know why they have decided this. But you did state they appeared to be kind. That the women was involved in military aspects. So maybe they have different ways on their planet". Catek tried to reassure her. "Listen child, I cannot teach you anymore. The years we've spent in secrecy teaching and learning, have to be for a reason. Maybe the Gods have decided to have mercy on you, by leaving this place. I have always told you, that there is something special about you Amiri. You are not like the other women here. I've taught all I can about our resources. The very resources those beings came to trade for. Maybe you will become useful on their planet. And they will see what I have seen in you for years. You are special" Catek explained to her._

_The gentleness in his eyes and love for Amiri was a fatherly love. He was not like the other men. He watched over Amiri from very young. Realizing that this women was not like the others. She had a presence about her that he could not explain._

_"They are here, they are here" another women stated as she ran into the tunnel._

_"Do not be frightened my child. You begin a new life a new beginning." Catek reassured her as he placed a kiss on Amiris forehead. She left the tunnel and headed towards the home. She looked back at Catek, and gave him a smile. Arriving at the house, she prepared herself. Tenan walked in. Before he would let her go, he had her way with her. He had beaten her, and raped her repetitively. "please stop, please..." Amiri cried. "You beast, you do not speak if I do not tell you" Tenan said as he slapped her across the face. He continued to beat her, "STTTTTTTTToOOOOPPPPPP"........_

"Ahhh" Sam screamed. She had fallen asleep in the tub. She realized she was dreaming. She rinsed her face with the warm water, and tried to calm herself. "how could I have dreamnt that...why am I dreaming about Amiri. I know nothing about what happened to her before she arrived" she thought to herself. She couldn't' shake the terror of her dream or then again nightmare. She dried herself off and headed for her phone.

She immediately called the infirmary. "May I speak to Dr. Frasier please its Major Carter" she stated. The nurse located Dr. Frasier and got her to the phone.

"Hello" Dr. Frasier answered. "Hey Janet it's me Sam, I'm just calling to see how Amiri is doing?" Carter asked.

"Well it's funny you should call. I was just about to call you. She woke up about 5 minutes ago. Quite startled but we were able to calm her down.

"I'm on my way" Carter said. Before Dr. Frasier could object, Sam had hung the phone up, got dressed, grabbed her keys and was on her way back to the SGC.

She entered the mountain. "Why was I dreaming that?" "Who is Catek" is all she could ask herself. She again was in such deep thought about the dream she dreamnt, she didn't realize the elevator doors had opened, and a very upset Colonel was standing at the doors.

"Carter? What do you not understand about going home?" O'Neill said, no extremely upset.

"Sir, please you don't understand. I went home, and I actually found myself agreeing with you. I even ran a hot bath and...."

O'Neill trailed off thinking of his 2IC in a hot bath....He shook his head, trying not to go there but it was difficult when she was so damn beautiful.

"Sir???" Carter said. She noticed he suddenly became preoccupied.

"Continue Carter" O'Neill said wondering if she figured out at what point he had started to day dream.

"Well I drifted off, and then suddenly found myself dreaming...but dreaming of Amiri. I can't explain it, it's as if I was there but I wasn't there....there was a man by the name of Catek. He taught her Sir. Taught her about the resources of her planet. The very resources we traded for. He didn't use her like the other men. He said she was special. Then Tenan was there. Sir...Colonel"...Carter paused. The vision of Tenan actually beating and raping Amiri were to much to hold in. The turned from O'Neill, so as to not have him see her cry, but it was too late. Her emotions got the better of her, and she sobbed.

"Hey..hey....." O'Neill touched her shoulder and turned her around to face him.

"I'm sorry Sir" Carter said, "But...I saw it....i saw him beat her and rape her. She begged him to stop, only for him to beat her more" Carter stated with much emotion in her voice.

"Carter....hey listen to me, it was just a dream, Carter a dream" O'Neill stated trying to calm her down.

"No....no Sir" Carter quickly replied. "It was not a dream. Somehow, someway, someone has allowed me to see this. " Carter said. "And we have to find out why?" Carter stated.

"Ok...ok...."ONeill could tell that there was some truth to this. And he of all people wanted to get to the bottom of this.

"Let's go talk to General Hammond first. He needs to be aware of this" O'Neill knew protocol, but Carter just wanted to get in there to say Amiri.

"Sir...um before we go to General Hammond's office, there's something else you should know" Carter stated. She knew that that electrical surge she felt when she touched Amiri wasn't just coincidence. She had to tell O'Neill. She just wasn't sure how he was going to react. He was already suspicious about Amiri. Would he consider her a threat, or would he trust Carters instinct.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Sir..."...she hesitated telling him. But she knew she had too. She took a deep breath.

"Carter" O'Neill stated. He had a feeling she was keeping something from him. But what, was the question.

"When we met Amiri on her planet, she leaned in and touched me. I felt a small electrical surge, Sir" Carter treaded lightly as she informed her CO.

"And......" O'Neill stated knowing that could have come from anywhere.

"Well Sir, I didn't think anything of it myself, till Amiri showed up.... here." Carter stated. She was feeding him the information slowly as to not overload his brain. She knew he didn't process too quickly.

"Carter?" O'Neill asked. He still wasn't getting it.

"Well Sir, when Amiri showed up in the gate room, and we rushed her to the infirmary, Frasier let me see her, once she was stabilized. I grabbed her hand, and again felt the same electric surge I did on the planet. I again paid it no mind, but...."

"Wait a second Carter" O'Neill interrupted her. He was finally getting the relation to all this.

"Are you telling me that you think those electric surges, has something to do with this connection you have with Amiri?" O'Neill was slowly getting furious. How could she withhold such important information?

"Carter why the hell has it taken you this long to mention this" O'Neill at this point was starting to yell.

"Sir, you yourself thought nothing of it till I elaborated......Sir" Carter said trying to save her ass.

"Carter, you've been sick for weeks. Connected to a person you met for practically less than five minutes, and you are going to tell me that you didn't connect the two, till now?" O'Neill questioned her with much annoyance.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but yes that is what I am telling. Till now, I didn't think anything of it. But after I woke up from the dream, no, not a dream a nightmare, Sir, I realized that can be the only explanation at this point" Carter said hoping he would believe her.

"Whatever this surge is Sir, it has not harmed me. Dr. Frasier did an entire work up on me, and I am physically fine" Carter tried to reassure him.

"Let's go" O'Neill stated grabbing Carter's arm.

"Sir, where are we going?" Carter said as he dragged her through the SGC.

"The infirmary" O'Neill stated. He was pissed as heck. He knew that Amiri was the reason for why Carter was sick and so preoccupied. Now that Amiri had awakened he was going to get his answers.

"Sir, no please Sir......shouldn't we go talk to General Hammond first Sir?" Carter trying to avoid the inevitable.

"We will... as soon as I get some answers" O'Neill stated, still having Carters arm.

As they walked, to the infirmary, Carter knew that Amiri was not going to be in any state of mind for an interrogation. But she also knew that once O'Neill set his mind to do something is was hard to change it.

Carter had to think fast. She quickly stopped in her tracks, with her arm still in O'Neill's grasp.

"Carter lets go" O'Neill stated pulling her.

"Sir, please if I can just have a moment" Carter tried to plead with him.

"Sir, please....just hear me out...please..." Carter stated.

She looked at him with those amazing blue eyes. He knew that she would never withhold information. He knew that Samantha Carter was a dedicated solider. He knew her very well. More than he cared to admit.

"I'm listening" O'Neill said trying to calm down.

"Sir....if Amiri was going to harm me she would of done it already. If the surge was meant to hurt me, don't you think it would have? All it's done is connect me with her. And there has to be a reason for that. She has been through something that no human being should ever go through. Sir, if you want answers, Sir, going in there with a mind set of interrogation methods is not going to help us. She fears men Sir. If we are going to get answers, I think I am the only she will trust right now. Please Sir, let me speak to her, please. You can watch from the observation room, but please Sir."

Jack knew that she was right. Although he did not trust Amiri at this point, He knew that she had gone through hell. She was frail at this point. And having a man interrogate her might not be the best thing.

"Carter, let's go talk to General Hammond, if he agrees with you then that's fine." O'Neill stated.

He knew that he had to let General Hammond know of what Carter was experiencing.

They made their way to the Generals office. Carter was nervous. What if he didn't agree? Amiri could not go through an interrogation. She had been through so much. She would not be able to handle more.

KNOCK KNOCK....O'Neill had knocked on the Generals door.

"Come in" the General stated.

"Colonel, Major....how can I help you?" Hammond asked. He saw the perplexity on Carters face.

"Is there something wrong?" Hammond asked.

"Sir," O'Neill took the floor, "It's about Amiri. It seems there's more to her than we know."

"Carter" O'Neill stated allowing her to fill in the blanks.

Carter began to tell General Hammond first of her nightmare, and then of the electric surges she had felt from Amiri. She can tell that Hammond was upset but he was keeping his cool. He was allowing her to continue. He knew that if Major Carter withheld information, it was for good reason.

"Sir, if Amiri was going to harm me, don't you think she would have already?" "Sir, like Jolinar, I saw what happened to her. No one should have to go through what she did...." Carter said, as she began to get choked up.

She hated that she was fighting back tears, but the nightmare came back to her, and suddenly that all too familiar sensation in her stomach came back to haunt her. O'Neill already knew that face.

"Carter" he grabbed for Hammonds garbage bin.

Carter just started to breathe through her nose and out her mouth.

"I'm ok Sir...." Carter said, still fighting the nausea.

"You sure...." O'Neill stated, I'd rather not replay the incident in your lab" He said. Holding the garbage bin close, just in case.

"Major are you alright?" Hammond asked, quite concerned for her.

"I'm fine Sirs...please all I ask, is that I get some alone time with Amiri. I told the Colonel he can watch from the observation room, but she does not trust men, and I don't blame her one bit. But if we are going to get any answers it won't be by our normal interrogation methods" Carter pleaded with the General.

"Colonel if you feel o.k. with this, I'll allow it, as long as we have armed airman outside." Hammond stated.

"I'm good General" O'Neill stated but obviously still not sure.

"Then it's a go" Hammond stated. He stood from his chair, as did O'Neill and Major Carter. They made their way the infirmary.

"Carter you're sure about this?" O'Neill asked.

"Sir what other choice do we have?" Carter stated the obvious. He stopped mid way to the infirmary. He grabbed her arms. No words were spoken but she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Sir, I'll be fine. She is not going to harm me.....don't ask how I know I just do." Carter said, as she looked at his arms around her upper arms.

He didn't realize her was holding her that long. He released his grip, and let her free.

O'Neill trusted Carter with his life. It was Amiri that he was trusting less and less. But he trusted his 2IC. He had to play this out, even though he had that eerie feeling, that in the end, this was not going to turn out pretty.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Dr. Frasier had to give Amiri a slight sedative. She was becoming too hysterical, and Frasier feared she might hurt herself. Carter sat next to her by her bed. She slowly grabbed her hand, only to again feel that electric surge. This time Carter knew it was something she had to explore, quickly, for the sake of Amiri.

"Hey..Hey" Carter said, as Amiri slowly opened her eyes.

All you can hear from Amiri was a whimper. The girl was petrified. She continued to stare at Carter while at the same time observing the men with guns standing outside the infirmary doors.

"Where? What? Who?.....I……." where all the words Amiri could get out.

"Amiri, it's ok…no one is going to hurt you. You are safe! Safe…." Carter said as she squeezed her hand.

"How does she know my name?" Amiri asked herself. Her mind was a blur. Full of bits and pieces of the little she could remember.

"You know my name?" She stated to Carter. Suddenly as she looked into the pale face of the women that sat beside her, her face became familiar.

"You're the women from the planet that traded with my people" Amiri stated as she started to slowly regain her memory.

"Yes" Carter replied. Carter wanted to tread lightly. She knew at times that the mind could oppress bad memories to survive. But she also knew that there was an all too familiar Colonel standing in the observation room wanting answers…wanting them fast.

"Amiri…I want you to listen closely,, ok? …you are on a planet called Earth. Tenan gave you to use as a, he called it "a gift". You were pretty beaten up, and have been recovering in our infirmary. Our traditions are different here, Amiri. Women are not used the way, your people use them. No one is going to hurt you. Your days of forced pleasure are over." Carter stated with some gratification, knowing Amiri would never have to go through that again.

"Amiri, I need to ask you something?" Carter began the questions.

"Yes, Sam" Amiri was beginning to calm down, and slowly remembering, that these people were kind, and were not going to hurt her.

"When I touch you, I've experienced something, something, like a small electric shock. The first time was when I was on your world, when we met in the shed? Remember?" Carter stated.

"I remember seeing you. I couldn't believe a women was standing in front of me, in trousers, carrying a weapon, I was in awe." Amiri said, still looking a bit confused.

"Well, when you came through the gate with Tenan, it happened again" Carter said.

"What happened again?" Amiri asked puzzled.

"The small like electric surge…………." Carter asked, realized that Amiri had no clue what she was talking about.

"I do not understand Sam." Amiri was confused, and getting irritated.

Carter saw that she was not getting any answers. She knew her time was growing short. Dr. Frasier entered the infirmary. Quickly assessing the situation. She can see that Carter was nowhere near getting the answers she needed to get.

"Well, how is our patient doing?" Dr. Frasier asked, trying to lighten the tension already in the room.

Amiri looked at Dr. Fraiser. Fear was all over her face. She tightened her grip on Carters hand.

"hey, hey its o.k. This is Dr. Janet Frasier. She is the one that has patched you up. She's my friend" Carter said trying to reassure Amiri.

"Hi Amiri" Dr. Frasier said. "You are a lucky young women. A couple of more days, and you should be good as new" she stated trying to give Amiri hope.

"Then will I be able to return to my world?" Amiri asked. She still had not connected that Tenan had practically thrown her away like garbage. The SGC did not know what repercussions would take place if they would return Amiri. They knew that it could mean a sign of disrespect to the Jibaritan people, and death for Amiri.

"Amiri, Tenan gave you to us as a gift. At first we did not accept, because are people do not believe in giving human beings away as gifts. When we refused Tenan said that he would kill you. It was then that Colonel O'Neill recanted his statement, and accepted you, "the gift", as he called you. It was only to protect you. Not to use you in the way Tenan was implying" Carter told Amiri trying to help her understand what had taken place.

"So are you saying I can never return to my world. My family, my friends, and loved ones? I will never see them again??" Amiri slowly said realizing the reality of all this. She suddenly drew a blank face. The tears began to flow from her face, and soon after that were the uncontrollable sobs.

"Please, please send me back, please…..i can't stay here. Please……I do not want to seem ungrateful. Thank you for using your medicines to heal me. But I do not belong here. I belong with my people. I do not know of what you speak Carter. Electric surge, is what you called it? I do not understand. I just want to go home. Please I beg of you …please let me go home…." Amiri cried. At this point Amiri became restless. She was thrashing on the infirmary bed. Dr. Frasier knew that she was going to need to sedate her.

"Hey ,,,, Hey take it easy. Take it easy" Carter said, trying to calm Amiri down.

"Nurse, get me a sedative please" Dr. Frasier asked.

"No, please, I no longer wish to sleep. I just want to go home. Please let me go home" Amiri said.

"Home to what, Amiri? Home to who? Home to Catek?" Carter began to probe Amiri's mind.

"How did you…how do you know that name?" Amiri asked, immediately stopping from thrashing.

"I saw it, Amiri, in a dream. He taught you, he loved you, he cared for you. He told you were special" Carter continued to grasp her attention with details of the dream she had had.

"How…how is this possible…." Amiri by now was in shock. How could Carter know any of this, is what she kept asking herself.

"Catek cared for you. Like no other man from your planet. He never seeked pleasure from you. But he taught you about the resources of your planet. He knew that Tenan was going to give you away, but he also knew that we were a kind people and that we would not harm you….he told you all this before Tenan…" Carter stopped. She knew that Amiri's memory had not come back fully. She wanted to shield her from remembering what Tenan had done to her. But it was too late. Suddenly Amiri's face grew pale. She brought her knees to her chest, and pulled her hand away from Carter.

"You mean you saw…..you saw what Tenan did…..what he did…to…to….." that is all Amiri could say. She grabbed her knees and sobbed into them.

By this time, Dr. Fraiser had slowly walked next to Amiri, and slipped the sedative into the IV.

"I think you've had enough questions for today? Don't you Carter?" Dr. Fraiser stated with a stern look at Carter.

"I think Amiri needs to get some rest. We can talk more tomorrow ok?" Dr. Frasier stated.

Amiri slowly began to relax. The sedative worked quickly on her thin frail body. Carter slowly rose to her feet, and helped get Amiri more comfortable.

She looked up at the obersvation room, knowing that O'Neill was not going to be happy. When she met his eyes, she was actually taken a back. He looked at her, and she can tell that that harsh look he had before, wanting to interrogate Amiri to shreds, was no longer there. But a look of sadness, and concern. He signaled to her, for her to come to the obersvation room. Carter slowly made her way, hoping that seeing Amiri in that state, would change his mind, but with O'Neill you never knew.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Carter and O'Neill were in the observation room. By this time Amiri was laying comfortably in the infirmary. The sedative had taken and she had relaxed and fallen asleep.

"Sir, I know what you are going to say…please see I just need more time…I" Carter stated fumbling over her words finding the right ones to convince O'Neill not to ambush Amiri with questions once she woke up.

"Carter…" O'Neill interrupted her babbling…."it's ok…"

"Sir?" Carter stated his name with a confused look on her face. She remembered his face when he summoned her to the observation room but wasn't sure that was just her with high expectations.

"Listen Carter, Amiri might have the answer after all" O'Neill stated as the wheels in his head began to turn.

"Sir….?" , again Carter questioning his statement.

"Look, I'm not too keen on keeping this girl here. She has a connection with you that….well…..hell Carter, I just don't like. And neither does Hammond. But if she is asking to return to her planet, then she might have just solved this whole dilemma for us." O'Neill stated thinking he had found the answer to the question of all time. He had a smirk on his face as if he had licked quantum theory.

"Sir….we can't do that?" Carter couldn't believe he was even fathoming the idea.

"Why the hell not Carter? She asked to be returned to her planet?" O'Neill at this point was starting to get agitated.

"Sir, you, yourself know that if we return her to her planet, Tenan will kill her. You were there in the Gate Room, you heard him with your own ears." Carter was becoming desperate. She knew that the return of Amiri would only mean sudden death. The worry that Amiri had signed her own death sentence was filling Sam's face with emotion, emotion that she could not hide from her CO.

"Then tell me Carter, what do we do?…tell me….?? This girl has been through hell, I'm not denying that, but how long will it take for her memory to return. In the meantime, how do I know that whatever connection you two have, won't jeopardize SG1 on a mission?" O'Neill was angry now. Not at Carter, not even really at Amiri. He was angry because he couldn't figure out what to do. When it came to his 2IC it became personal. And the fact that he could not control this was making him mad.

"Sir, please" Carter tried to reason with him. By this time O'Neill was doing his usual. Pacing, and running his fingers through his hair back and forth as if that would help him find this answer to this dilemma.

"Sir,….what if Amiri could tell us the location of Catek" Carter hoped her statement would grab his ear.

He stopped. He lifted his eyebrow, a task he mimicked so well from his friend Teal'c.

"Go on Major" He stated. Knowing Carter had an idea. When didn't she?

"If we find Catek, maybe he can tell us something more about Amiri…" Carter stated. She slowly fed him the idea, so as to calm him with every word she spoke.

"Better yet Carter, what if we find this Catek, and leave Amiri with him?" O'Neill stated. Remembering Carters dream. "You said so yourself they would hide in a cave, so that Catek could teach her?" Carter's eyebrows winced. She couldn't believe he was paying attention, when she told him about the dream.

"Catek can hide Amiri there, away from Tenan. She can continue to learn and who knows maybe her people will come to accept women as equals someday" O'Neill stated. He knew she wouldn't be happy with the idea, but he wanted Amiri as far away from Carter as possible. And this idea could do the trick.

"What is it with you wanting her off this planet???…..Sir" She stated. Now she was getting upset. This girl was helpless. Has been helpless her whole life with no one to stand up for her. She couldn't let Amiri down. Even though Amiri wanted to return, Carter knew that she would be returning to her death.

"How do you know returning her to her planet, will sever this…this connection, for lack of a better word. We may still be connected Sir? Then what? Do we return to the planet to retrieve Amiri again? How do we explain that to Tenan, should we get caught by the Jibaritan people. How do we retrieve someone who supposedly never returned? Carter tried to have him see the other side of his solution.

"Look Carter, " O'Neill stated, as he placed his hands on her shoulders. He knew that she meant no disrespect. He knew that Carters heart was huge. And after that dream, he also knew that a part of Carter experienced some of what Amiri did. And Jolinar was enough to send Sam over the edge. And he wouldn't wish that on his worst enemy.

"Let's just go talk to Hammond. If he agrees that we can return to the planet, we'll go and find Catek. The Stargate was miles away from the village. We've been there before, so we'll just go and do our own little survey. If Amiri can direct us to where Catek is hiding, and we find him, we'll talk, and see what he has to say. We'll take it from there" O'Neill knew that he had to present her with some hope even if his final decision could be to return Amiri.

"Thank you Sir" Carter said, with tears that already were swelling in her eyes. She backed away from him, and left the observation room before her emotions got the best of her.

As she walked away she glanced down at Amiri. This young girl, away from her planet, her loved ones and all she had known. Used as a sex toy her whole life, and yet had the capacity to absorb information faster than any human could. The advantages she would have by staying on earth were endless and Carter knew this. She only wished she had time to show Amiri. She knew she was getting attached. Although it was not protocol, she couldn't help it. This, electric surge, shock, whatever you wanted to call it, somehow had Amiri and her connected, and why, was something that Carter was going to find out. But at what cost?


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The next day Amiri woke. She had slept quite comfortably through the night. Carter hoped to get some more information from her. As she stroked her hand, Amiri's eyes slowly opened. She tried to focus on who was the one caressing her hand. She saw that it was Sam.

"Sam...." Amiri said.

"Hey...how are you feeling?" Carter asked hoping she was up to further questioning.

"Confused, and scared, Sam" Amiri was honest with her. She couldn't understand what was happening.

"I know...and I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. It's just ...." Carter treaded lightly for fear that Amiri might again become overly excited. She knew that Dr. Frasier would kick her out.

"I know, Sam...its ok..." Amiri interjected. "But I'm sorry, I do not know of this electrical surge you speak of. I swear it" Amiri tried to reassure Carter.

Sam looked at her. She knew she was telling the truth. Although reluctant to ask, she knew she had to find out if Amiri knew where Catek was. She had to follow orders.

"Amiri...I know you asked to be returned to your planet. Well Colonel O'Neill...." Carter stated, but was interrupted by Amiri.

"O'Neill...." Amiri asked, as if she remembered the name. "He is your leader, yes?" Amiri asked.

"Well sort of....he leads the team that I am on....and is also above me in rank, in our military" Carter tried to explain to Amiri.

"You care for him...don't you? A lot more than you should?" Amiri stated. Somehow she can sense what Carter was feeling.

"Um..." Carter was at a loss for words. Thank God O'Neill had a briefing to attend to and was not observing her so called interrogation.

"It's ok....I understand what you mean now?" Amiri tried to explain.

"Somehow I can sense what you feel.....it's quite odd....." Amiri continued to explain.  
"But I do not feel a...electrical surge as you called it.." She stated with much confusion. "But I can sense certain feelings. And I can hear certain words, as if you are speaking them aloud." She explained.

"Why is this happening Sam? I do not know you and yet I do. I've barely spent a day with you and yet I have this sense of trust and familiarity that I can't shake...what is going on?" Amiri continued to ask, with great confusion.

"I don't know what is going Amiri. All I know is that when we've touched, an a ....well..the only way I can explain it is an electrical surge permeates through you to me. I think it has to do with us being able to sense each other's emotions and thoughts." Carter tried to explain as best she could. She wasn't sure herself what was going on, but she tried to give Amiri, some sense of an explanation. She knew she had to get to the point. O'Neill and Hammond were wanting answers, and wanting them fast.

"Amiri, please..listen to me closely. When Tenan presented you to us as a gift, Colonel O'Neill refused. Here, on our planet, we do not receive humans as gifts to use as we please. Once O'Neill refused, Tenan swore that you would be put to death. So you see, if you return to your planet, you are signing your own death sentence." Carter tried to make sure she was clear with Amiri.

Amiri looked at her. Tears swelled up in her eyes. She was trapped in a world she knew nothing of. She knew no one. What will she do, how would she live? All these questions ran through her mind.

"I understand Sam. But would not death be better, than living under guard for the rest of your life?" she stated with much emotion, as her eyes drifted to the armed guards outside the infirmary doors.

"Your people do not trust me. You are here to find out information. Though you are and have been very kind, and are not being harsh with me, I know what you are doing." Amiri stated.

"Amiri please....listen...O'Neill wants to find Catek....if they find him, they want to return you to him?" Carter told Amiri, hoping she would give her some information.

" I still do not understand how you know of Catek. But yes, if that is what your people are offering, I am willing to take the chance. I will take you to Catek. If I have to live hidden in a cave for the rest of my life, I'd prefer that, than living here in a world where I cannot be trusted." Amiri stated thinking much clearer now.

"Amiri you understand, that if we find Catek, and return you to your planet, you will not be able to return here. We will be going under cover. The gate on your planet is far from your village. Tenan will not know that we are there" Carter tried to explain it all to Amiri.

"It's ok Sam... I understand the risks....and thank you.....no one has ever been so concerned for me. No one except Catek and....." Amiri paused. Suddenly the tears began to flow, and she could barely speak.

"And who Amiri...?" Carter asked, letting curiosity get the best of her. Amiri couldn't explain but she had this sudden sense of security with Sam. She knew she could trust her. She couldn't explain it. It was if something or someone was telling her, _it's ok...she can be trusted. Tell her, confide in her._ So with that sense of trust Amiri continued.....

"_I once had a sister. Much like you Sam. She was kind. She protected me. Where I would have been presented as a gift at a much younger age, she gave herself up for me, so that I would not have to. She was quite boisterous. Although women in my world are not supposed to speak, my sister always had something to say. She was beaten many times for her outspokenness. But she didn't let that stop her. Until one day, Tenan arrived. He did not have the tolerance the other men did. I hid most of my young life, in closets mostly, and floor boards. Tenan had heard of my beautiful sister, and wanted her. He arrived, and didn't even allow my sister to stand from where she was. He attacked her_...." Amiri could barely get the words out.

"Dear God Amiri, I'm sorry....I'm so sorry" Carter tried to comfort her.

"Shhh its ok...its ok" Carter tried her best, but Amiri was sobbing at this point.

Carter leaned in, and held her as she cried. During all this O'Neill had returned, and was watching above them. Listening to Amiri retell the horror she went through, had suddenly made him sick to his stomach. Just imagining his 2IC having to go through that as a women would make any normal man cringe.

Amiri leaned back into her pillow, and tried to continue.

_"She tried to get up, but her mistake was speaking. Tenan began beating her senseless...while he beat her he told her that no women would speak to him without being asked. And that he was going to use her as an example to all. I watched in horror from the closet where my sister had hidden me. Helpless. There was nothing I could do. I pushed myself into the corner, and held my knees to my chest, and shut my eyes tight in hopes that it would all go away. A few moments later, there was silence. I was so frightened Sam. I slowly reached the crack in the door, where I was able to see out, and Tenan had left. My sister was on the floor, covered in blood. I stormed out of the closet, only to find that she was dead. Tenan had killed her. It was then that Catek found me. I do not remember but he stated I had to have been there with her for days. From that point on Catek protected me as much as he could. He sheltered me, and treated me as his own. He would read many, many books, and he saw that I was curious. Although against every law, he began to teach me. He stated I was special. He couldn't believe how much information I could retain. I didn't understand what he meant, but he just continued. I couldn't absorb the information fast enough. It was all so amazing to me. But he couldn't hide me forever. I began to be used as a servant at the temple. I tried my best to remain as homely as possible as to not attract the men, especially Tenan, but it did not last long."_ Amiri could sense that Sam was genuinely concerned and hurt for her.

"Wait, so are you telling me that not all your people can absorb information as you do Amiri" Carter questioned her.

"I do not believe so. It is why Carek stated I was special. He had taught many students, male of course, but none that possess the ability to absorb the information the way I did." Amiri stated, curious herself why she had that capability.

"Has any other women been taught Amiri? Could it be possible that the women of your planet have this ability, but because they are never taught, it is something that your people are not aware of?" Carters asked. Her mind was going a mile a minute. She started to think, if SG1 could rescue more women, and it was true that the women contained this gift, the possibilities for the SGC would be limitless. She had to digress. She shook her head, as to come back to reality, and refocused on the matter at hand.

"I'm sorry Sam, I see where you are going, but no. Since teaching a women is a punishable by death, it is not something I believe many if at all any practice. If Catek was ever caught they would of killed him on the spot." Amiri stated.

She paused and looked at Sam. Suddenly there was this silence as if they were frozen. She suddenly remembered that Sam had told her about a dream she had. She also remembered that Catek wasn't the only thing Sam saw in her dream.......

"When Tenan beat me the night before I arrived here, I thought I was going to die. I remembered as he beat my sister. All I could do to stay alive was to continue to tell myself not to speak. It was so hard Sam....every blow I wanted to cry out. But crying out just meant he would continue to assault me." Amiri looked at Sam. Tears started to fall from her eyes. Carter tried to hide her emotions. She was still on duty and a solider doesn't cry, is what she kept telling herself. But memories of Jolinar and Bynar started to return. She remembered sensing the disgust of what Jolinar had to do to escape from Ne'Tu.

She suddenly shocked Sam and O'Neill with her next question. O'Neill immediately leaned to listen more closely.

"Who is the Jolinar? It seems she experience must trauma in her life as well?" Amiri asked, as she continued to sense what Sam was thinking and feeling.

Carter was in shock. The first thing she thought of was O'Neill. She immediately turned to look up at the observation room, only to find a very curious and concerned O'Neill looking down. If Amiri didn't have his full attention before, she did now. If she could read Sam's thoughts, then how much information was she able to access? Gate addresses, IDC codes? This now was a definite security risk.

"Carter? Can I see you for a moment?" O'Neill's voice suddenly came through the loud speaker. Carter knew that Amiris question was going to be a problem. She also knew that her responsibility as a solider came first and foremost.

"He thinks I'm a security risk, doesn't he?" Amiri immediately asked. Her sense of Carters thoughts and feelings became stronger by the second.

Carter looked at her, knowing that she was no risk to the SGC. But there was no way for her to prove that to the powers that be.

"I need to go talk to O'Neill. I'll be right back, o.k.?" Carter stated, trying to make light of the situation.

"Sam, it's ok....really...I'll be o.k. back on my planet. Catek hid me for a long time. He can do it again. Tenan will think I am here so he will not seek me out." Amiri tried to reassure Carter that she would be o.k. Carter somehow disagreed.

"I'll be right back, o.k." Carter stated again, as she patted her hand, and gave her that all familiar Carter smile.

As she made her way up to the infirmary every part of her wished she didn't feel this bond with Amiri but after her question about Jolinar, she started to think that maybe it was best that they did return Amiri. Although she knew that she was not a security risk, she also knew that the SGC would never allow her to live a normal life on earth. Especially once the NID learned of her abilities.

Carter slowly opened the door to the observation room.

"Sir..." she stated. Knowing quite well what his next words were going to be. "So I guess you over-heard our conversation huh..." She stated as she dropped her head, and beat him to the obvious conversation that was about to take place.

"Carter you know of all people that once the SGC gets a hold of this information, they are going to interrogate her to pieces no matter what I or Hammond say. Her reading your thoughts Carter, C'mon!!" he stated hoping to knock some sense into her.

"I know Sir...I know..." she said with great hesitation.

"we should find out where Catek is as soon as possible and get Amiri back" Carter said before O'Neill could get in an edge wise.

O'Neill had that all too familiar shocked face.

"We should?" he couldn't believe those words had come out of Carters mouth. "Yes..yes..we should..." He stated trying not to sound too shocked.

"Soo did she tell you?" O'Neill stated.

"Well she is willing to take us to him..."Carter stated. "Sir....i think the sooner we get Amiri back the better. It won't be to long before the NID find out about her. I don't want them using her as a guinea pig. I think she's been through quite enough abuse already, don't you?" Carter stated.

Carter had done a total turn around. She didn't realize how much of a connection Amiri had. And she knew that the connection could only bring more pain and turmoil to Amiri.

"Well let's go talk to General Hammond" O'Neill stated knowing that Carter had a huge heart and this decision was not going to be easy.

"Yes Sir" Carter said, giving him the smile that he could easily interpret. He gave her back that same smile, that after so many years of working together needed no explanation.

As they made their way to General Hammond's office, no words were spoken. O'Neill knew enough to know that this was going to be hard for her. But he also knew that it was the best thing for Amiri. After hearing what the young girl had gone through, he knew that staying might mean further abuse, or maybe even worse, death, if left to the NID. It was the evil of the lesser two. Decisions needed to be made, and although hard he knew it was the best for Amiri, and most importantly Samantha Carter.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It killed Carter to return Amiri to her planet. Something deep inside her knew it wasn't the right decision. But the fact that if the NID got a hold of her, and did what they usually did to anyone that had an advanced technology within or the like, she knew that Amiri had to get off earth as soon as possible. Carter knew that she had to let her go. For Amiri's, sake and safety. Although sending her back to her planet to live in solidarity didn't sound like much of a trade off.

Carter and O'Neill made their way up to Hammond's office.

"Major, Colonel. Come in. So have we gotten anywhere with Amiri." Hammond asked.

"Well I think we've come up with a plan that will benefit all of us Sir" O'Neill stated. He treaded lightly for he knew that Carter feared for Amiri's well being.

"Colonel?" Hammond asked.

"Well Sir, Amiri wishes to be returned to her planet. She says she can lead us to Catek. Since the gate is far from the village, we can easily get in and out, without alerting the Jibartan people. "

"And you think this plan will work?" Hammond asked.

"Major?" Hammond asked. Knowing that Major Carter has gotten more involved than she should have.

"Sir, it seems that this connection that Amiri and I grow's stronger the longer we are together. ...." Carter stated.

"Sir, she read her mind..." O'Neill interjected. The treading lightly went right out the window.

"Sir" Carter almost yelled with the misinformation he was giving to Hammond.

"What?" Hammond immediately stated with an alert look on his face.

"Sir, it's not like that." Carter tried to regain control.

"It's not Carter, then how she know about Jolinar?" O'Neill continued to try to take control of the situation but had no idea what he was talking about.

"Sir, please can I explain since it's me that Amiri has the connection with?" Carter stated trying to remain calm.

"Go ahead Major but you better have a good explanation, or Amiri has just become a huge security risk" Hammond stated.

"Sir...Amiri and I can not read each other's minds. It's more like emotions, feelings. Yes, she read Jolinar but all she got was the name, and that Jolinar had gone through the same horror she did. That was the extent of it. " Carter tried to explain, hoping to regain control.

"Well Major, then I think that the Colonels plan is best for all of us." Hammond stated with great concern.

"Well actually Sir, it was Carters plan" O'Neill trying to get back in good graces with Carter for he knew he was going to get the silent treatment for weeks after what he just pulled.

"Whomever's plan it was....if the Doctor approves of her traveling through the gate, the sooner we get this over with the better." Hammond stated.

"Yes Sir" O'Neill said.

"Fine. Colonel you get with Dr. Frasier and if she gives you the go, then SG1 will leave tomorrow at 0700.." Hammond stated. He didn't wish the girl any harm, but he too knew that if the NID found about her, she would be in worse hands.

O'Neill looked at Carter. He knew that everything in her wanted Amiri to stay, but she also knew her government and the paranoia that part of it worked under.

"Dismissed" Hammond stated.

They both stood, and Carter waited for O'Neill to pass. She was livid. But she did not lose control. One thing about Carter was she never disrespected command. Her CO was her CO, no matter what feelings she may or may not have for him. They proceeded to leave Hammonds office. She headed to the infirmary to alert Amiri of the final decision that was made. But O'Neill headed to the same place, since he had to find out from Dr. Frasier if Amiri could be released for gate travel.

When she realized that they were both headed in the same direction, she slowed down her pace, so as not to be in step with him. She lagged behind him. What she wanted to do was, arm wrestle him to the ground, but she knew she had to keep her cool. He was out of line, and somehow she knew that he knew he was. But he was still her commanding officer. And for that she had the highest respect for him. But right now she didn't like him.

O'Neill made it to the infirmary first. He saw Amiri laying there. She was awake.

"You are O'Neill? Yes?" Amiri asked him.

"Yes I am?"O'Neill looked at her. He did pity the girl for what she had gone through.

"I know Carter has already stated to you, that I am no risk to your people, but I want to tell you myself. I am not a security risk, or a danger to your planet. Yes...Carter and I seem to have a connection. But I swear, on the life of my family, that I do not understand it, or can I control it." Amiri stated to O'Neill.

He didn't know what to say or do. A part of him, wanted to believe her. But he had seen so many tricks from the Goauld that he had to convince himself that he couldn't trust her.

Carter had reached the infirmary by this time. She saw O'Neill by Amiri's bed, and feared that he had already given her the news. He sometimes didn't have the best bedside manner.

"Sir?" Carter stated, hoping he hadn't said anything to her yet.

"Carter, I was just going to find Dr. Fraiser" O'Neill stated. He gave that all familiar look, and with that she knew he hadn't said anything.

"Sam..." Amiri said, with a smile on her face. It was nice to see someone she knew. Well sort of knew.

"Hey Amiri. How are you feeling?" Carter asked. Trying not to think too much.

"I feel much better. Thank you for asking. ....." Amiri stated, but by this time she had a puzzling look on her face.

"They've agreed to return to me planet. Haven't they? And yet you still feel like I shouldn't go." Amiri immediately stated.

Carter wasn't going to beat around the bush. The girl could sense her emotions. It was no use.

"They will be returning you to your planet tomorrow morning. As long as the Dr. states you are ok for travel." Carter simply stated.

"Thank you for letting me know Sam" Amiri stated. "And if it helps any, there is no need to worry. Catek hid me before, he can do it again. Especially if Tenan and his people, believe I am gone." Amiri tried to state with reassurance.

"I'll be fine." Amiri stated.

Carter smiled. She saw that she was trying to be brave. But Amiri forgot that Carter could sense her emotions as well. Carter sensed the fear in her. But there was nothing she can do. She felt so helpless.

She leaned in and gave Amiri a hug.

"I'm so sorry Amiri" Carter said as she held the young girl.

"I know Sam...I know.....but this is the best thing for the both us. Catek will care for me, and maybe just maybe one day, I'll be able to return and see you once more." Amiri said trying to make the situation easier. They held the embrace, as if sisters departing forever. Carter could not hold back the tears. She tried to be the good soldier. No attachment, no emotions. But the flood of emotions she felt was overpowering.

Dr. Frasier and O'Neill had walked into the room. Carter released Amiri.

"Hello Dr. .............. , O'Neill" Amiri tried to calm the noticeable quiver in her voice.

"Doc says she's good to go" O'Neill stated.

Carter looked at O'Neill. He could sense that Carters heart was being pulled both ways. She wanted to protect Amiri from her own people. But she knew that part of the government she lived by, was as bad as the people on Amiri's planet. There wasn't much she could do about Amiri's people, but she knew she could protect her from her own. Letting Amiri go was her only choice. How she wished there could be another way, but Samantha Carter could not solve this equation. It had a null factor, and it made her sick to her stomach. She can only hope that Catek would hide her well, and continue to teach her. She knew tomorrow would be one of the hardest days of her life.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

They all stood in the gateroom. As the stargate spun, Amiri looked as petrified as ever. She knew she had to go back, but the thought of Tenan finding out she had returned, frightened her to her very core. Carter was close by. She could sense the fear rise up in her.

"Hey..you o.k.?" She asked as she leaned into her.

"I'm o.k. Sam" Amiri said, trying to sound reassuring, but she knew that Carter felt her fear.

The wormhole was open. SG1 started their walk up the ramp. Amiri didn't realize it but she hadn't budged. When O'Neill turned she was still at the bottom of the ramp, staring at the wormhole. He made his way down, and held out his hand for her. Carter watched their interaction. She knew that O'Neill though as stubborn as he was, meant the girl no harm. But procedure was procedure, and she knew that he would follow it to the letter. Their relationship or lack thereof was proof of that.

"It doesn't hurt a bit, I promise..."O'Neill stated trying to make light of the dreaded situation at hand.

Amiri smiled. She knew that he meant her no harm, but she also knew that he had to follow the procedures of his military. There was nothing anyone could do. She grasped his hand, turned and looked at Sam. Sam held out her hand and they stepped through the gate together. The three of them hand in hand. What waited for them on the other side no one could have imagined.

The gate closed behind them. The silence was deafening as SG1 began to take survey of PX-989. What they saw was unexplainable. It was gone. All of it! Trees were burnt to the grown. The forest that once encompassed the gate was burned up in smoke. It took several seconds for anyone to speak.

"Oh My God" Carter barely said. It was as if it was all in slow motion. Carter looked at Amiri who stood in shock.

"Carter?...O'Neill stated her name knowing if anyone would have the answer to what they were looking at it, it would be here.

"CARTER" O'Neill yelled this time. Carter was taken a back at what she was seeing. It took a couple of minutes for her to even register O'Neill shouting her name.

"Sir...um..there seems to be a low level of surface radiation Sir...We're ok Sir but we shouldn't stay to long." She stated, trying to regain focus.

Suddenly Amiri he dropped to her knees in agony.

"Ahhhhhhhhh" Amiri yelled. She grasped her stomach in dyer pain. As if in sequence, Carter suddenly fell to the ground as well.

"Ahhh" Carter suddenly yelled in pain.

"Carter?" O'Neill yelled as he ran towards her.

"Oh God Sir....the...pain...ahhh" Carter barely spoke.

Daniel rushed to Amiri trying to comfort her.

"Daniel dial us home NOW' O'Neill shouted as he held Carter.

"Nooo..." Amiri shouted in the midst of her agony. "We....must..go to...caves.....we must...NOW." Is all she can say in the midst of the pain she was feeling.

"Carter!!!" O'Neill shouted her name this time. Carter too was in too much pain to react and in shock, feeling only what Amiri was a feeling.

"Noooooooooooooooooooooo........." Amiri yelled till she had no more breath in her lungs. And again..."Noooooooooooooooooooooo". Daniel grabbed her as she began to collapse on the steps of the stargate.

"Amiri" Daniel yelled as he grabbed and held her close.

"Where...where are the caves..can you tell us" Daniel try to get information from her as best he could in the midst of her pain.

"Daniel, what the hell are you doing?" O'Neill shouted.

"Didn't I tell you to dial home?" O'Neill was screaming at this point. Angry at the situation, O'Neill ran to the DHD and began to dial home himself.

"Sir...Please...." Carter yelled in pain... "we have to go to the caves..please..listen to her" Carter pleaded with O'Neill.

O'Neill didn't know what to do. All he knew was his 2IC was in trouble.

"NO" he yelled, as he dialed the earth's address....."We are getting the hell out of here"

In sequence, Amiri and Carter yelled "NO"............"We'll die" Amiri said barely at a whisper now,,,,slowly falling into unconsciousness and Carter was not far behind.

She crawled to O'Neill and pleaded with him.

"Sir, please....Amiri is right, we will die if we go back. We have to go to the caves." Carter was in agony, but being the soldier she was, she sucked it up, and tried to plead with her CO.

O'Neill grasped her head, and her knees collapsed beneath her. "I'm sorry Carter, but you don't know that. You're gonna be ok." O'Neill said, as Carter slowly passed out.

"Carter!! Carter" O'Neill shouted. "Crap...let's get the HELL out of here"

O"Neill threw Carter over his shoulder, and yelled to Daniel "Let's Go!"

Teal'c grabbed Amiri and they ran through the gate. With every ounce of uncertainty O'Neill leaped through that the wormhole with Carter in his arms. What was causing her the pain, he did not know, but staying on that planet could not be the option, or was it? Was he jeopardizing her life, her trust by leaving the planet? Would he be the cause of her death.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Stargate Command:

"Off world activation, Repeat Off world activation!" Walter shouted through the intercom. Hammond walked very fast out of the office to see what was going on.

"Who is it Walter?" Hammond asked, knowing there were no teams off world due back for several hours.

"It's SG1 Sir…. " Walter stated wondering why they were returning so soon.

"All defense teams, stand by!" Hammond shouted not knowing what was going to come through that gate.

"Open the Iris. Get a medical team down there!" Hammond shouted through the intercom.

SG1 came flying through the gate. O'Neill had Carter over his shoulder, and Teal'c had Amiri. Dr. Frasier was already in the gate room. General Hammond walks in, with a look of concern.

"Stand down." Hammond ordered.

"What happened?" Dr. Fraiser asked as the medical team moved in.

"I don't know Dr. we exited the worm hole, and suddenly Amiri collapsed." Teal'c stated.

"And Carter was right behind her" O'Neill interjected. You could tell that he was quite concerned for his 2IC.

"Get them to the infirmary NOW" Dr. Frasier shouted.

Colonel O'Neill, SG-1 couldn't have been deployed for more than an hour ago, what happened?" Hammond asked. O'Neill was already making his way off the ramp, not realizing that his CO was just asking him a question. He had to know that Carter was going to be ok.

"O'Neill?" Hammond called out.

"Sorry Sir" O'Neill apologized. "It was gone. Everything. The entire planet burnt up" O'Neill began to explain.

"What?" Hammond asked in shock. "Was it the Goaul'd?" Hammond asked.

"It could likely have been General Hammond" Teal'c stated.

"Sir, all I know is that we weren't even there 5 minutes, and suddenly Amiri fell to the floor in pain." O'Neill stated.

"And Major Carter?" Hammond asked.

"As soon as Amiri fell, Carter did too" O'Neill said, but he was ancy wanting to get to the infirmary.

"Sir, there are definitely connected. A lot more than we assumed" Daniel interjected.

"Fine. Get to the infirmary and we'll debrief in an hour" Hammond said. O'Neill didn't even let him finish his last word. He rushed to the infirmary. He couldn't get there fast enough. As he reached the door he can see the nurses, thrashing about with every type of medical equipment he had ever seen.

"Doc what's going on?" O'Neill asked, wanting answers fast.

"I don't know Sir." Dr. Frasier stated puzzled. "Is there anything else you can tell about what happened?" she said, as she worked on Carter.

"There's not much to tell. We were barely on the planet. Amiri went down first and then Carter right behind her. They both grasp their stomachs in screamed bloody murder" He stated.

"I have never seen Major Carter scream in that type of pain" Teal'c interjected. O'Neill jumped not knowing that Teal'c and Daniel were right behind him. They were just as concerned as O'Neill was.

"Well all I can say is that Amiri and her are suffering from the same symptoms. Elevated heart rates, high temperature, and some type of enzyme in their blood that I have never seen before" Frasier stated.

"Are they going to be o.k.? Daniel asked.

"I don't know…I've never seen anything like this?" Frasier stated with worry in her voice.

"Are you sure there wasn't anything else that happened on the planet?" she asked, hoping they forget to tell her something. Some clue as to what was happening to Amiri and Carter.

"Amiri did state not to return through the gate, but to retrieve to the caves, as she was knelt in pain?" Teal'c stated.

O'Neill quickly looked at him, and gave him that, "I was getting to that" look.

"Sir?" Fraiser questioned O'Neill.

"Amiri kept saying not to come through the gate…but I'm sorry Doc. We have no idea what was going on, and I thought the best thing was to turn back and get them to the infirmary ASAP." O'Neill stated.

"we have to go back" Daniel said.

"DANIEL" O'Neill yelled. "I know, I know" O'Neill knew they had to return. The answer to whatever was happening to Amiri and Carter might very well be in those caves.

"Sir, I don't know what this is. But they are deteriorating fast. I don't know how much more I can do." Fraiser said.

O'Neill was worried. Did he make the wrong decision? Was he decision based more on his feelings for his 2IC, the unspoken ones, or was it protocol?

He ran his hands through his hair, like he usually did when he couldn't think of what to do. He looked at Carter laying there fighting for her life, and suddenly he snapped into action.

"Let's go" he said. Teal'c and Daniel were right behind him. They made their way to Hammond's office.

"Colonel" Hammond asked, wondering why they were all in his office, when there were to brief him, on what happened in an hour.

"Sir..we need to go back." O'Neill said with urgency.

"Colonel..what the hell is going on?" Hammond said starting to worry a lot more.

"Sir…when Amiri went down, she kept telling us, not to go through the gate. We were to take them to the caves…" Daniel interjected.

"Daniel….I got it" O'Neill stated, annoyed at how Daniel kept giving information before he did.

"The caves? What caves?" Hammond asked

"Of that we are not aware of General Hammond" Teal'c stated.

"Sir, all I know is, Carter is laying there, and there is not much more the Doc, can do for her. "And Amiri" Daniel again interjected.

This time O'Neill gave him the look of _"if you say one more word Daniel" …_At which Daniel shut up.

"Sir we got to go back to those caves, Sir." O'Neill stated.

"Colonel do you even know where they are. You said so yourselves the planet is basically been destroyed. How do you know the Goaul'd aren't still occupying the planet?" Hammond asked.

"That is not likely General. If the goau'ld were the cause of this destruction, they would have nothing to gain by remaining on the planet." Teal'c stated.

"Sir, the caves mostly likely are preserved. If deep enough, the blast might of not affected them" Daniel stating hoping his assessment was right.

They all stood in Hammond's office. Hammond looked at all them. He knew how concerned they were for Carter. Especially, O'Neill. No regulations were ever broken. O'Neill and Carter knew they could never act on their true feelings, as long as they were in the military, and he was her CO. But Hammond knew that they had cared much more for each other than they were leading on.

"Fine..as long as you take SG2 & 3, with you as back-up." Hammond said.

"Thank you Sir" O'Neill stated as he headed out of his office, and straight to the locker room to get geared up. Of course, Daniel and Teal'c right behind him.

They gathered in the locker room. No one saying a word. They had no idea where these caves were. All they knew was, it was Carter and Amiri's only change of survival. Suddenly Teal'c broke the silence.

"Carter is strong O'Neill. She will fight this" he stated, as he placed his hand on O'Neill's shoulder.

O'Neill didn't say anything. He just looked at Teal'c. Teal'c knew he appreciated his sentiments. But O'Neill was never really one much for words.

"Let's go" O'Neill immediately stated. He knew the longer it took for them to find these caves and whatever it was that might help them, the less time Carter and Amiri had. Would his decision be wrong? Should he have brought her back through the gate? Where his feelings for her clouding his judgement? All he could hope for was that his decision was right.


	13. Chapter 13

They arrived at the planet. Nothing had changed since they were last there. Burnt desolate land was what was before them, as far as the eye could see.

"Daniel?" O'Neill said. Knowing if anyone could find the caves it would be Carter or him. And SG1 was down one. They had to rely on each other.

"Ummm" Daniel hesitated. They all looked worried, worried about Carter back at home. Amiri's tie to her was stronger than anyone had surmised. They had to find this cave, they had too.

"This way" Daniel said.

"You sure?" O'Neill questioned.

"Sam's device is showing some type of climate change", Daniel stated as he looked towards the distance. It was all that Daniel had to go on.

"To Oz, then?" O'Neill said, hoping to lighten the mood.

They all looked at each other and began to walk.

They walked for what seemed like hours.

"Daniel" O'Neill stated started to get irritated.

"Jack…we are getting closer but it's still a ways a way" Daniel said, worried they were going around, in circles.

"We seem to have been walking for quite some time Daniel Jackson. Are you sure that you are reading Major Carters device correctly." Teal'c said.

"No I'm not sure…but do you have a better plan?" Daniel yelled at Teal'c. It wasn't like him but he too was getting frustrated.

Suddenly, a voice come through their intercoms.

"General Hammond to Colonel O'Neill" Hammond shouted.

"O'Neill here, go ahead" O'Neill stated. Wondering why Hammond was contacting them.

"O'Neill, have you made any progress?" Hammond asked.

"Sorry, Sir. We still seem to walking towards the area" O'Neill said.

"Jack….." the use of his first name from his Commanding Officer, caught his attention quickly.

"Major Carter seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Amiri is barely hanging on. Dr Frasier seems to believe that they might have a better chance if we return them to the planet. Maybe there is something there that can help them. She's tried everything here." Hammond stated.

O'Neill's face grew to panic. "Dear God" He thought to himself. Did he make the wrong decision?

"Dr. Fraiser will be coming along with them to monitor their vitals. You should expect them in the next hour" Hammond stated.

"Understood General" O'Neill said.

"Teal'c you go ahead with Daniel. I'll head back to the gate. Radio me as soon as you find something" O'Neill stated.

Teal'c nodded his head as he always did. Daniel looked at Jack. He knew that the news from Hammond was tearing him up inside. He knew the way they felt about each other. SG1 was his family. Carter was like a sister to him. He knew that Jack and Sam, cared about each, more than they should.

Before Jack turned around to head towards the gate, Daniel called out to him. "Jack"

O'Neill turned. "Sam is strong. She's gonna fight this. We will find this cave." Daniel said trying to reassure Jack.

O'Neill didn't say anything he just nodded his head and headed towards the gate. Will his decision be the nail on Sam's coffin? Will he ever tell her how he feels about her? That question now hung in the balance just as Sam's life did.

**AN HOUR LATER…………………**

The worm hole opened, and out came the medical team, with Carter and Amiri in hand, in stasis pods.

"Hey Doc" Jack said. "How is she?" He asked. Dr. Frasier knew immediately that he meant Sam. Although he didn't wish any harm to Amiri, but Samantha Carter held a special place in his heart.

"She's fading, Sir. I've done all I can. Which is why I told Hammond that this might be their only chance" Dr. Frasier stated. O'Neill could see the angst in her eyes. He knew that Janet Frasier and Sam Carter had become good friends through the years.

Suddenly from behind them, one of the nurses called out to the Dr. O'Neill's heart started pounding harder than ever.

Frasier ran to the pod.

"Her vitals…there are returning to normal" Frasier astonishment rang across the entire team.

"Doc…what are you saying?" O'Neill had to ask her to repeat it again.

"Sir, Major Carters' vitals are stabilizing. As are Amiri's. Sir…this planet definitely has a tie to them both Sir" Frasier stated as she continued to monitor their vitals.

Carter started to stir in the stasis pod.

O'Neill ran to her. Not realizing his immediate response. Frasier looked at them. How unfair life was. She was their when they admitted they cared for each other. She watched as two amazing people had to bury their feelings for the cause of the planet. They had fought against so much. Battled many battles, only now to ask, would one survive?

Carter opened her eyes. Only to find her CO staring right back at her. She had no idea where she was. She was so confused and he could tell on her face.

"It's ok Carter. You gonna be ok." O'Neill stated. He placed his hand on the pod. He wanted to touch her face to reassure her, but he knew he had to refrain. So touching the pod was his way of letting her know, she was going to be ok.

Carter tried to speak, she was beginning to get agitated.

"Can we get her out of this thing?" O'Neill yelled. He was starting to become desperate.

"Sir…she's not stable yet, she still needs to remain. I can give her a slight sedative to calm her down. Until we can find the cave at least …" Frasier stated. She knew they almost lost her, and O'Neill was blaming himself.

O'Neill paused. He brushed his hand over his grey hair, as he always did when he was confused as to what to do next.

"Do it" he said. He looked at Carter. He could tell in her eyes that she was scared, confused, disoriented.

"Carter, listen to me. You're going to be ok. But we can't let you of this thing just yet. Try to remain calm. The Doc is here…" at this point came to Carter's side…"Hey Sam"……Dr. Frasier said with a smile. But Carter knew her to well. She could tell that she was hiding behind that greeting.

"Sam, I'm going to give you a slight sedative ok……we can't let you out of there just yet….." Dr. Fraiser stated.


	14. Chapter 14

Carter opened her eyes, only to find her CO staring right back at her. She had no idea where she was. She was so confused and he could tell on her face.

"It's ok Carter. You gonna be ok." O'Neill stated. He placed his hand on the pod. He wanted to touch her face to reassure her, but he knew he had to refrain. So touching the pod was his way of letting her know, she was going to be ok.

Carter tried to speak, she was beginning to get agitated.

"Can we get her out of this thing?" O'Neill yelled. He was starting to become desperate.

"Sir…she's not stable yet, she still needs to remain there. I can give her a slight sedative to calm her down. Until we can find the cave at least …" Frasier stated. She knew they almost lost her, and O'Neill was blaming himself.

O'Neill paused. He brushed his hand over his grey hair, as he always did when he was confused as to what to do next.

"Do it" he said. He looked at Carter. He could tell in her eyes that she was scared, confused, disoriented.

"Carter, listen to me. You're going to be ok. But we can't let you of this thing just yet. Try to remain calm. The Doc is here…" at this point came to Carter's side… "Hey Sam"……Dr. Frasier said with a smile. But Carter knew her to well. She could tell that she was hiding behind that greeting.

"Sam, I'm going to give you a slight sedative ok?……we can't let you out of there just yet….." Dr. Fraiser stated.

Carter looked at them with eyes of confusion. But she knew that Dr. Frasier and the Colonel had her six. So she just nodded. Dr. Frasier administered the sedative, and O'Neill just stared at her, and her eyes slowly closed. His mind was going a mile minute. He loved her, and how he wished he could tell her. But this was the best he could do. Protect her, and be there for her always.

**Several Hours Later….**

"Jack come in" "Come in Jack" Daniel called for O'Neill.

"Go ahead Daniel" O'Neill answered.

The two pods along with Dr. Frasier and the med team waited patiently by the Stargate for word from Daniel and Teal'c, hoping they were successful.

"I think we found something?" Daniel chirped in on the walkie.

"You think?" O'Neill answered. O'Neill hated vague information.

"O'Neill.." Teal'c interrupted. "It seems, there is a large cave several feet in front of us." Teal'c stated.

"Shall we proceed" He asked. "No wait for us there…..Carter and Amiri's vitals have stabilized. This planet definitely has something to do with this whole mess" O'Neill informed Daniel and Teal'c. He knew they both cared for her, and wanted to let them know that had stabilized, somewhat.

"Give us your location…" O'Neill stated. He wanted to have Carter as close as he could to that cave. If there was something that could reverse whatever was happening to her, he wanted to get her in there ASAP. The med team proceeded behind O'Neill. All they could hope for was that the answer to Amiri and Carters ailment was in that cave and that they would both be cured. But O'Neill's main concern was a certain Major Samantha Carter.

As they continued to walk towards the coordinates that Teal'c gave O'Neill, Amiri started to stir in her stasis pod.

"Doctor" the nurse yelled from the med team. Dr. Frasier ran towards the pods.

"Sir we need to stop." Frasier yelled out to O'Neill.

The laid they pod's down on the ground. O'Neill wanted to get there yesterday but he knew that Amiri was connected to Carter, and whatever was happening to her, Carter would experience so he had to proceed with caution.

Amiris vitals were going hay wire. Suddenly a bright light almost blinded the team. O'Neill immediately switched into military mode, (not like he is ever out of it) and pointed his P-90 at the pod.

"Must get out….is what she mouth…"must get out"…..

Frasier didn't know what to do.

"Sir…she's asking to get out…Sir" Dr. Frasier said. Suddenly the pod flipped open, and Amiri started to ease her way out of the pod. O'Neill now had his P-90 cocked and his finger on the trigger. All he had to do was pull.

"what the hell is going on Amiri?" O'Neill shouted.

"I do not know…." Amiri's voice shivered in fear. O'Neill could tell that Amiri had no clue as to what was happening.

"It tells me to tell you, we must enter the caves. It is the only way Sam and I will live" Amiri said.

"It tells you?" O'Neill said, still with his gun pointed right at her.

"It means you no harm…Please O'Neill…bring down your weapon, please" Amiri cried.

The light began to dim, and they were all able to see that the light remained near her mid-section.

"Amiri what the hell is going on?" O'Neill shouted.

Suddenly Carters pod opened as well. Carter came out and shouted "Sir…please…please…put your gun down….please….. She pleaded with him, as she placed her body between Amiri and O'Neill's gun.

"Carter what the hell" O'Neill was as confused as ever. "Sir…..it doesn't want to harm us, it just wants to go home. " Carter said

Amiri still shaken, stood their crying, shaken. Something was within her but she had no control of it. None. Its light began to slowly fade away, and now it was just a small shimmer of light, across Amiris abdomen.

"And home would be the caves….right?" O'Neill said as he slowly brought down his weapon.

Carter nodded.

O'Neill didn't know what to do next. He looked at Carter, and knew that this connection with Amiri was serious, and he had to trust Carter.

Suddenly Amiri collapsed. "Dr." shouted one of the nurses. Dr Frasier immediately was at Amiri's side, as was Carter and O'Neill.

"Amiri….Amiri…."Carter kept calling to her. But there was no response

"Her vitals are weakening." Dr. Frasier stated with great worry.

Carter started to lift Amiri as to carry her herself.

"Carter what the hell are you doing?" O'Neill yelled.

"We have to get her to the cave. Now Sir …NOW" Carter said.

O'Neill can sense her desperation. He quickly grabbed Amiri from Carter and headed towards the cave.

"Sam…." Dr. Frasier immediately assessing Carters vitals. "How do you feel?" she asked her.

"I'm fine Janet…really….we just have to get her to the caves" Carter said. She could barely stand without getting a dizzy spell. She fought the nausea and, pushed herself to follow.

She was already following O'Neill. She was right on his six. Whatever Amiri was experiencing was tied to that cave. But what did this cave entail. Would it cure Amiri and inevitably Carter, or would this be the death of them all. No one knew, but O'Neill trusted Carter with life, in every other mission. Now he had to trust again, but now it wasn't just his life, but her own, and the life of a mysterious young girl.


	15. Chapter 15

They finally reached the cave. O'Neill's knees were screaming for mercy. Although Amiri was a small girl, the distance they traveled, were taxing to his knees.

"Jack" Daniel stated as he caught sight of them.

"O'Neill" Teal'c said. He immediately grabbed Amiri from O'Neill for Teal'c knew how O'Neill's knees had been abused throughout the years of black-ops.

"Thanks T" O'Neill said, with just enough time to grab Carter as she started to slide down a tree using it as support.

"Carter" He immediately said.

"It's ok….I'm ok…just….." that was all she was able to get out, and she leaned over and released all the contents of her stomach, which wasn't much.

"Nice Carter" O'Neill said as she barely missed his boots.

"Sorry Sir." Carter said. By this time she was extremely pale.

"Doc" O'Neill yelled out. His concern for Carter was getting greater by the minute.

Frasier was by Carter side, immediately placing cold compressed on her forehead.

"Sam, you need to rest. Your body has been through to much. I don't want you to relapse." Frasier stated with concern for her friend.

"I'm fine…I'm fine…" she stated hating the attention.

Suddenly Amiri awoke in Teal'cs arms. Frightened to see the large man, holding her, she screamed in terror.

"It's ok Amiri, he's not going to hurt you?" Carter yelled from the tree trying to get up, but was quite unsuccessful as she ended up in her CO's arms, before her head hit the tree beside her.

Teal'c slowly lowered her to the ground. You can tell that Amiri was trying hard to focus. As she looked at the man she remembered that he was on the planet when she first encountered SG1.

"Tea…Teal'c……I'm sorry….i didn't…." Amiri didn't know what say.

"It's all right Amiri. You've been through quite some trauma. I understand" Teal'c stated trying to reassure her that he was not offended or that he was not going to hurt her.

"The cave, it's here..we must enter it.." Amiri immediately stated. But it wasn't Amiri stating the words, but someone else was saying them.

"Ahhh…ok….is Amiri saying this or….."O'Neill said. Daniel and Teal'c looked puzzled. They had not experienced what O'Neill did by the gate.

"Jack, there's no one else here. Who else would be speaking?" Daniel asked in total confusion.

With a tilt of Teal'c's head O'Neill knew that he too was confused.

"It seems that Amiri carried within her a being." Dr. Frasier stated.

"And it glows…." O'Neill interjected.

They all looked puzzled. Amiri just began to walk.

"Hold up a second Amiri, we just can't go in there. We have no idea what is in there and what danger it can bring to the team." O'Neill said jumping right back into his military mode.

"There is nothing there to hurt us. But if Carter and I remain outside of the cave, we will not survive" the being stated through Amiri. At that moment, Amiri's body began to grow brighter. Teal'c and Daniel were startled by this. Teal'c immediately drew his staff weapon not knowing if this was a harmful entity.

"Teal'c…NO" Carter said as she stumbled her way to him. It won't hurt us. Please put down your weapon..Please…" Carter said, using all her strength and collapsing onto Teal'c who immediately caught her before she hit the ground.

Without hesitation, O'Neill immediately went into action. This time he grabbed Carter, and threw her over his shoulder. "To the caves, people. Stay alert" O'Neill said with urgency.

Amiri started to walk into the cave. The glow her body gave lit the cave, so there was no use for flashlights. O'Neill had no idea where they were headed, but he had to trust Carter. Suddenly Carter started to stir in O'Neill's arms.

"Sir…ahh you can put me down.." she stated, embarrassed that he had her over his shoulder like a damsel in distress.

O'Neill slowly put her down, and leaned her against the cave wall, just in case she had not regained her equilibrium.

"Carter, you o.k." he asked, brushing a hair from her forehead. She looked at him, and gave him that Carter smile. She was shocked by the gesture, and contact. That was not something O'Neill was in the business of doing, but none the less she welcomed it.

"I'm ok….Sir" Carter stated. "Actually Sir, much better. I can feel my strength coming back."

Carter stood and was able to keep her balance. They both looked at each other. No words needed to be spoken. She knew how concerned he was for her. And was glad to see that she had suddenly returned, to herself, somewhat.

"This way?" Amiri spoke, or the being within her spoke. They all turned towards her. The light within her still shined almost blindly. They followed knowing that something had to be true to this, since Carter had immediately recovered.

As they entered a large room, Daniel was in amazement, as was Carter. The room was filled with books from ceiling to bottom. It looked like a huge library. But in the middle of cave? How awkward. They all were thinking it, but no one spoke it. Suddenly Amiri lights within her began to fade.

"Catek…Catek…" Amiri ran through the room calling his name. Carter suddenly realized this was the tunnel that Amiri was taught and kept as safe as she could be kept. The caves were intact but there was no one there. Amiri's heart sank. Her hopes in finding Catek, probably the last of her people, were immediately changed to despair. What would she do now? She had no place to go, the SGC were bringing her back, but back to a desolate world, a world of loneliness, and sorrow….what would she do now?


	16. Chapter 16

Amiri stood in silence. Her mind racing. Where will she go? What will she do? Maybe she can be asked to be sent to another planet, try to restart a life of her own. But how? She knew no-one. Her race was completely wiped out, but by what? Carter made her way to Amiri. She felt her despair, even more so now that they were in the caves. She wrapped her arm around her and whispered to her "it's going to be ok". But Amiri knew that she was just saying it. Carter had no idea what the outcome of this disaster was going to mean for Amiri.

"This is amazing" Daniel interrupted the silence.

He had begun to read the books in the cave. Everyone was exhausted and took the time to rest while Daniel and the rest of the team tried to figure what this cave was all about. It seemed like an eternity for Jack who kept pacing. Research was never his forte, neither was patience.

"It seems these books are an entire history of the Jibaritan people. An entire timeline, and ….." Daniel paused.

He continued to read and suddenly started to put one and one together. Daniel was always a fast learner. He always seemed to put things together a lot faster than the team. Minus Carter, but she was more technical than Daniel was.

"Yes.."Amiri interrupted. "It is here that Canan taught me, but the books from where you read from, He forbid me to read. I could never understand why, but I always obeyed his wishes." Amiri stated, with a face of question and curiosity.

"Um…Jack, can you come here for a second".. Daniel stated trying not to attract attention to his hesitation and look of concern.

"What Daniel?" Jack said.

Still annoyed that the answers they sought were becoming harder to find. Will Carter be stuck on this god forsaken planet, till they find whatever it is that is threatening her life? That is what was on Jacks mind.

"Jack???" Daniel startled him. He had kind of gone in to Carter land.

The book stated that they were at war, war with a race called Beror. It states that both races, the Jibartan and Beror people, were in search of something or someone.

"Something or someone?" Jack stated.

"Ahh can you be a little specific Daniel" Jack hated when Daniel talked in riddles.

"I'm trying to read the dialect. Um…..something called the "Mistressia".

Suddenly as the words escaped Daniels mouth, Amiri crumbled to the ground. The light within her glowed quickly, but it was as if a camera had flashed. As quickly as it glowed it disseminated.

Amiri began to sob uncontrollably. But it was a sound that no human had ever made. The team stood in shock. Carter quickly tried to console her but, the sound was almost deafening. Amiri then collapsed. She was unconscious.

"Janet" Carter yelled.

Dr. Frasier quickly ran to her. She tried to assess her situation with as little knowledge as she had on Amiris physical make-up. The medical team immediately started to work on her. Carter backed away. There was nothing she could do for her. Jack could see the dismay in her eyes. He walked towards, and just gave her the Jack "C'mere", and that's all Carter needed. She turned to him and allowed him to hold her. She was feeling all the hurt, confusion, loneliness, and pain that Amiri had been feeling. But as a solider she had to "suck it up" as they say. But a human being can only take so much. She sobbed into his shoulder, not loud enough for the others to hear, but loud enough for Jack to hold her tighter.

"Sam, it's gonna be o.k. We have to hang in there. We can't give up now." Jack softly said to her, as he held the back of her head, and the soft tendrils of her hair laced between his fingers.

Carter couldn't get a word out; her sob just masked whatever syllable tried to escape her mouth.

"I can't get a pulse!" Dr. Frasier suddenly screamed from across the room.

Carter spun around but in doing so, suddenly made the room spin uncontrollably.

"Carter!" Jack said as he grasped her arm, before she headed straight for the cave wall.

"I'm fine…I'm fine" Carter whimpered. "Please, Jack, I have to go to her" Carter said softly.

The use of his first name, startled him a little. But after the Zatarc incident, and the whole "this stays in the room", he knew that their feelings for each other had not changed. He released his grasp on her, and Carter was by Amiri's side. She slowly grabbed her hand, as the medical team performed CPR on her, to no avail. Suddenly Carter started to feel the very same surge she did when she met Amiri for the first time. But this time it was getting stronger and stronger. She tried to let go of Amiris hand but she could not. Somehow whatever energy was emitting from Amiri had no encompassed Carter as well. Carter could hear the people around her, but it was as if she was in a bubble, she could see them reacting but at a slower rate.

"Carter" Jack yelled for her. But she would not respond. Jack reached for her, but as he did, a jolt of energy filled the room, and Carter went flying across the room, right into to Teal'c.

"What the hell?" Jack immediately screamed as he dashed his way to Carter.

"Carter! Carter!" he stated as he shook her face in hopes to wake her.."Dam it Sam…wake up….wake up…." He yelled.

"Doc" Jack yelled for the Doctor.

In that instance Amiris pulse returned.

"Dear God we have a pulse" Dr. Frasier said as sweat poured down her brow. The medical attended to Amiri as she immediately ran to Carter not knowing what just happened.

Teal'c had already laid her down on the ground. Jack wouldn't move.

"Sir you have to step aside. Please Sir.." Dr. Frasier had to practically beg him.

She immediately knelt down by Carters side and tried to assess her condition.

"Her heart rate is through the roof" Dr. Frasier yelled. "I can't stabilize it." Dr. Frasier yelled. "Dam it Sam…C'mon…" Fraiser yelled.

"C'mon Sam, C'mon, Sam stay with me." Dr. Frasier pleaded with her. She wasn't only attending to an officer in the military. She was attending to her friend. They had grown quite close through-out the years. She couldn't see losing her now. None of them could. Especially Jack. He had put "them" aside for so long. Together they faught the Goau'ld, killed many Jaffa, her body had been taken over by a Tokra symbiote, and yet he did not give up on her. And yet, through all this, through all her victories and defeats, would this be the death of Samantha Carter? Would he not be able to tell her the things he had wanted to tell her for years….the very three words, she had wanted to hear? But military and duty stood in the way. Would they ever get that chance?


	17. Chapter 17

Janet continued to work on Carter. She couldn't stabilize her. As she continued to try to figure what the hell just happened, Amiri's vitals began to stabilize. She began to open her eyes and try to speak.

"Doctor Frasier" one of the nurses yelled.

"Ah I'm kind of busy here!!!!" Frasier yelled.

"Doctor, it's Amiri, she's coming to" the nurse shouted. With all the commotion, it was hard to understand what in the world was happening. O'Neill ran to Amiri. Not realizing what he was doing. He grabbed her, harshly.

"What the hell did you do to her?" he shook her hard.

"Sir…Sir…." The nurse pleaded with O'Neill. "Stop, let go of her" she yelled.

Teal'c ran to him and physically removed O'Neill from Amiri.

"O'Neill…." Teal'c shook him back to reality.

O'Neill was infuriated, but he knew his actions were wrong. He immediately pushed him, and came back to Carter.

Janet looked at him. He knew that she disapproved with his actions, but also knew that he deeply cared for Carter. More than both ever admitted.

"Sir, we need to get her back to the SGC" Dr. Frasier stated.

"Back?" O'Neill said with confusion. "Isn't that what was killing her?" O'Neill said more confused than ever.

"Sir, I don't know what is going on, but I don't have the medical equipment here, I need to stabilize her..."

Suddenly Amiri's voice came from the distance.

"You must return to your home with Carter. I must remain here" she said. She could barely speak. She was frightened by how O'Neill had practically attacked her.

"You cannot remain here Amiri. This is not a suitable dwelling place" stated Teal'c.

"I cannot return to your planet, I am not wanted there. If your people can just supply me with the basic necessities I will be all right. Just until they can help Carter…." Amiri stated as tears ran down her face.

Somehow these caves were now going to be her home.

"No one is staying anywhere. We are all getting the hell out of here…and NOW" O'Neill shouted.

"Daniel get to the gate and dial home." O'Neill stated as he started to help Dr. Frasier with Carter.

"Jack there is so much here that we still don't understand" Daniel said, sometimes his thirst for knowledge got in the way of the obvious.

"Daniel ………..!!!!!" O'Neill shouted his name.

"Right…going to dial the gate" Daniel said as he grabbed as many books as his backpack could hold, and started heading towards the gate.

Teal'c knelt and grabbed Carter. The whole team looked as she grew paler by the second.

"Move out" O'Neill shouted. They all stood and made their way to the gate. The medical team had Amiri, but the fear in her was evident. She was returning to a planet that she was no longer welcomed, and leaving a planet that no longer existed. Her very existence was something she couldn't shake. She began to shake in fear. The nurse that was with her, placed her arm around her, and in a sympathetic gesture, held her close and said "it's going to be o.k." Words she longed to here from Carter, the only person she trusted. But that very person's life now hung in the balance, and she was the unconscious cause of it. She may have killed the only person, who she had hoped in. Samantha Carter. The very person, she connected to from the beginning, was now slowly slipping away. What was happening? What had she done? Was her destiny destruction? Amiri looked back at the caves. The very caves that had once brought her joy and protection now were left with destruction and despair. What had she done?

_**Back at the SGC……………….**_

The wormhole opened, and the team stepped through.

"Colonel, you care to explain" Hammond was seeing all the commotion happening before him. And then he saw Amiri, which really left him in confusion.

"Sir we need to get her to the infirmary NOW" Dr. Fraiser stated firmly.

"Go…go….."Hammond said gesturing with his hands. He could see the urgency in the team.

"O'Neill you care to explain what the hell happened?" Hammond asked.

O'Neill didn't respond. His attention was towards Carter, as they laid her down on the gerny and wheeled her away to the infirmary.

O'Neill started to chase after them, but was stopped by General Hammond.

"O'Neill" Hammond shouted as he placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Sir....." he looked at Hammond, and ran his hands through his grey hair….. "Carters in bad shape Sir, can I report to you as soon as I know they at least have stabilized her?" O'Neill practically begged him.

"Fine….report to me in an hour" Hammond stated seeing the concern in not only O'Neill but the whole team, including Amiri.

As O'Neill started out to the infirmary, Daniel called out to him…. "Ahh Jack," O'Neill turned. You could tell the annoyance on his face. Daniel pointed towards Amiri.

"Place her in quarters" Hammond stated. "We'll deal with what to do with her, later." He was extremely blunt which made Amiri tremble. Teal'c was beside her. He could see the girl was terrified. _"Deal with her later???" _she said to herself. What did that mean??? Teal'c slowly placed his hand on her shoulder, remembering her last encounter with a man wasn't so pleasant, and again re-assured her that everything was going to be ok. He led her down the ramp and towards the living quarters they had for unexpected guest. He glanced at Daniel, hoping that the answer to this mess was somewhere in the books that he had grabbed before he ran to dial the gate.

_**Two Hours Later……**_

After O'Neill had briefed Hammond on what happened on the planet, O'Neill made his way to the infirmary. He was pacing. Waiting was never something he was good at. He had gone in several times only to be chased out by the nurses. Carter had stabilized but they couldn't wake her up. Dr. Frasier stepped out the infirmary to see a very impatient O'Neill.

"Doc….i promise I won't touch anything, can I at least just sit with her" O'Neill asked.

He was extremely worried, and Dr. Frasier could see it all over him, including how exhausted he was. This whole situation was taxing to everyone.

"O.k. but you have to promise me that you'll get some rest as well… I give you 2 hours with her. Then I want you to try to get some sleep. You are no good to her or any of us, for that matter, if you pass out too." She stated.

He gave her smile, and she smiled back. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and with no words spoken they both, knew that his concern for Carter was more than a 2IC, but it could not be spoken because of the regulations.

As Dr. Frasier left, O'Neill grabbed the chair, next to the bed. He slid it close to the bed. He placed his elbows on his knees and his hands on his face. He just stared at her. There she was the women he loved with all his heart and soul, his scientist, computer wiz, and friend, lifeless on a gerny. He couldn't stop thinking of how he could be the cause of this. If he would have listened to her in the first place, and stayed on the planet and gone to the caves, maybe Carter wouldn't be in this predicament. As he replayed the scene in his hand, he slowly pushed the chair closer to the bed. He positioned himself so that the camera couldn't see what he was doing. He slowly grabbed Carters hand and held it close. All he wanted to do was hold her, and whisper in her ear, the very words he wanted to say for so long, but he couldn't. For right now, holding her hand had to be enough. And that is how he stayed for the two hours he was there. He spoke softly to her. Bringing up the funny times they had together. Sometimes he would try to snap her out of it but snapping into military mode. He would call her rank and would say "Major Samantha Carter, you need to snap out of this"…but that wouldn't last too long. The soothing words, of support and disguised love would take over.

Before you knew Dr. Fraiser had returned. It had been more than two hours. She knew that the only way O'Neill would get rest if she practically pulled rank, and ordered him to.

"Sir….you really need to get some rest….." Frasier stated. She didn't want to pull the rank card, and she hoped that she didn't have too.

"Doc….it's all my fault. If I would have just listened to her in the first place, and taken them to the caves, maybe she wouldn't have been in this mess" O'Neill said, not realizing he was still holding Carters hand.

"Jack" Frasier rarely used his first name, but at times it was called for. "You can't blame yourself for this. I think this would have happened anyway. Whatever connection Amiri has or had with Carter, is evident. Now we just need to figure out what happened. Carter is strong, you know that. She's stable, her vitals are strong. She's been through a lot herself. Just give her time. She'll come out of it, you'll see." Frasier stated trying to reassure him, of what she honestly had no idea what was happening.

He gave her that O'Neill smile, and she smiled back at her. He had to remember that he wasn't the only person who cared for Carter. The SGC was her family, and Frasier loved her like a sister.

"Thanks Doc" O'Neill said.

"Can I just lay in that bed" he pointed to the empty hospital bed beside her. "I just want to be here when she wakes up" he said.

Fraiser nodded her head, knowing that there was no point in arguing. When O'Neill made up his mind about something, there was only one person who could change it, Samantha Carter.

He made his way to the bed beside Carter, and laid down facing her. He watched her chest rise and fall. He knew he couldn't sleep but at least he was lying down, trying too. He watched her like a hawk, slowly breathing in and out. But the exhaustion over took him. His eyes became heavy, and he slowly drifted off. His mind racing, wondering would the love of his life wake up long enough for him to finally tell her the 3 words he'd been wanting to say, forgetting regulations, and rules. Being able to say "I love you" was his last thought as he drifted into sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

Carter awoke. She slowly opened her eyes wondering where in the world she could possibly be. The last thing she remembered was being with Amiri. She tilted her head only to see her CO sleeping in the bedside her. She admired him for a moment. How long had he been there watching over her? Oh, how she loved him. She found herself staring, only for a sudden headache, and the urge to throw up took over her. She tried to get up but her head was spinning. All she was able to do was tilt her just enough to lean over the bed, and she began to throw up whatever was left in her system. The sound woke O'Neill in an instant.

"Hey" He immediately went to her, holding her forehead and she continued to vomit.

"Nurse..Nurse" O'Neill yelled. "We need some help here" he yelled.

Carter turned back into the bed. She was all sweaty and clammy.

"Look who's up?" Dr. Frasier had entered the room.

"yea and half of what she ate this year is on the floor" O'Neill said with a smirk on his face.

"God my head hurts" Carter said holding her head. "What the hell happened?" She asked.

"Well….it seems Amiri gave you the electrical shock of all times?" O'Neill stated trying to make light of the situation.

Suddenly it started to all come back to Carter. "Oh my God..Amiri" Carter stated with a state of worry. "Is she..is she ok?" she asked.

"She's fine" O'Neill stated as he placed his hand on Carters shoulder trying to resettle her back into the bed.

"Sam you had quite a spill. We were worried. You need to rest, and we need to get some fluids in you." Dr. Frasier said as he she watched her friend worry. It wasn't to long ago that she was worried about Cassie in the same way.

She laid back down holding her forehead.

"Dizzy" she said.

"Rest" Dr. Frasier said as she injected something in her IV. You can tell that Carter was fighting but she did not have the strength to. She quickly dozed off.

"Sir..i'm going to run some more test. But she's awake now, and that's a good sign" Dr. Frasier said. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Now it's you that I'm worried about. You need to get some rest. I promise I'll come get you when she wakes up again. But in the meantime, I want to rest. Please don't make me make it an order." She stated firmly.

"Fine…but you promise too…." He said as Dr. Frasier interrupted him… "wake you when she wakes…yes….no get to bed….Sir" She said was a smile on her face.

He was exhausted and he knew it. Her finally waking up was a good thing. So he knew that she was going to be ok. He went to his quarters and lay down on the bed. It wasn't even minutes and he was out. Exhaustion had totally taken over him.

_**Several hours later…..**_

"Are you sure Dr." Hammond stated.

"General.. I ran the test 3 times myself. And that is what it is stating…but …."

Suddenly there was a lock at the door.

"Hey Jack, how you doing?" Hammond stated, trying not to set off an alarms. But O'Neill knew the General well.

"Sir?" O'Neill said with a question in his voice.

"Doc…What's going on?" He asked. He went to the infirmary to check on Carter and she was awake. The nurse was trying to make her drink something, but she was refusing. Dr. Frasier had promised to wake him when she awoke, but she didn't and that wasn't like her.

"Jack..I think you should sit down…" Hammond said as he shut the door. Carter's condition didn't need to be base news.

"I'd rather stand if that's all right with you Sir…" O'Neill said. At this point he was getting agitated.

"Go head Doctor" Hammond said. Wondering how was O'Neill going to take this. He knew he had feelings for Carter but neither of them had acted on them knowing it was against regulations.

"Well…Sir…. I ran some test on Major Carter……and it seems that she's…she's…" She paused.

"Spit it out Doctor…What's wrong with Carter" O'Neill by this time was getting more worried by the second.

"She's pregnant Sir" Dr. Frasier said. The silence in the room was deafening. She kept looking at O'Neill to see his reaction.

"I'm sorry did you say, pregnant…" O'Neill was as confused as ever. Did she have someone in her life and just never told him? Did she not care for him the way he did her?

"Yes Sir,,, pregnant….but what doesn't make sense is that according to the test results she should be around 5 months….and she doesn't not reflect that.."

"I went ahead and performed an ultrasound….there is no visible sign of a fetus. None what-so-ever. And yet there is a strong heartbeat. It's as if the fetus is being hidden." Dr. Frasier said, confused as ever.

"Hidden….like in playing hide and seek, hidden" O'Neill said. He ran his hand through his hair as he always did when he was confused.

Suddenly a loud bang came across Hammond's door. As Hammond opened the door, Daniel almost fell into his office.

"General…Jack…Janet…." Daniel said out of breathe.

"Great…the 3 people I needed to see" He said. He was almost like a child who just discovered a new toy, or figured out the rubrics cube.

"Daniel..calm down…calm down.." General Hammond had to calm the boy before he had a coronary.

"The Mistressa….." Daniel spit out.

"The what?" The all chimed in at the same time.

"Jack…remember on the planet, when I told you about the Mistressa and what it meant to the Jibartan people…" Daniel stated, looking at all of them as if they should know all this information.

"Daniel…please explain" Hammond stated, knowing that at this point O'Neill was about to start yelling.

"The Mistressa was a gift from the ancestors. It saw that the people were in constant battle. The Mistressa was given to both people. But no one knew who or where it was. Through out the years the constant fighting, they lost site of why it was given to them. It was given to them to promote peace. To show them that they were both originally from the same clan. It was war that tore them apart. The lost site of the Mistressa and started to believe that it was myth, much like the TOKRA. The Mistressa was given as a "LIGHT" for all people. It would remain hidden till both people who turn to peace. Then and only then would it reveal itself. But that never happened. Sir…I think the Mistressa, is….." Daniel paused.

"Amiri…." Dr. Frasier barely got the words out.

"Dear God….wait….then that means…" Dr. Frasier was slowly putting it together.

"Daniel are you saying what I think you're saying" O'Neill to was right behind Janet.

Daniel was clueless. He was not aware of the doctor's findings.

"But wait there is more…" Daniel continued. "If the people would not stop the fighting and their war, the Mistressa was capable of destroying them all. It rather that the race be extinct than the constant war between them". Daniel said.

"So you are saying that this "Mistressa" could possibly be a threat to us" Hammond immediately assessing the situation.

They all stood together in Hammond's office.

"Doctor?" Hammond asking, knowing that Dr. Frasier was thinking the same thing.

"It would make sense, Sir, why it doesn't show on the ultrasound" Frasier stated.

"Ultrasound? What are you guys…." Daniel suddenly realizing what was going on.

"Sam? Are you saying Sam has, is…." Daniel said.

"That explains it…..the large bolt of light that tossed Sam, and made Amiri pass out." Daniel was quickly putting the pieces together.

He began to run out of Hammond's office.

"Where the hell are you going" O'Neill said, as he held Daniel by the shoulder.

"We have to talk to it, let it know…" Daniel said.

"We are not going to do anything right now. Carter is not aware of any of this…" Dr. Fraiser said. "We need to tell her first." She said.

"Doc…" O'Neill said in a low voice.

"I know Sir….I know…" she said. "Why don't we go tell her together" Dr. Fraiser said. She knew that Carter was going to have a hard time with this.

"Sir…" they both said simultaneously. They looked at Hammond all thinking the same thing but not saying a word.

As they walked to the infirmary no words were spoken. But they were both thinking the same thing. If the Mistressa no lay within Carter, what did it mean for her. Would it harm her, what would the government do, knowing that it could be a possible threat, most of all, how will Carter handle this. She was always a strong soldier, but carrying a life within her, that could possibly destroy her was frightening. Carter had been through some stuff, but could this be the ultimate thing that could send her over the edge.


	19. Chapter 19

They reached the infirmary only to have Daniel on their heels. They weren't the only ones worried about Carter. As they looked behind the curtain, they found a very sick Carter. The nurse was placing cold compresses on her forehead, hoping it will help with the severe case of nausea that was overtaking Carter. She looked as pale as a ghost. She was already fair, so her coloring was frightening. Dr. Frasier immediately went to her I.V. to begin to administer new meds.

"Hey Carter" O'Neill said.

He had his hands his in his pockets and tilted his head, as he always did when he didn't know what to say next. Carter knew O'Neill very well. His body language said it all. She knew whatever was on his mind was not a good.

"Hi Sir….." she acknowledged his "Hey". She was barely able to get the words out. The constant vomiting had irritated her entire throat.

"That bad huh" Carter stated. The silence was deafening. She knew Colonel O'Neill very well. After watching his six for so many years, she could immediately tell something was wrong. She looked to Dr. Frasier, her friend, and didn't receive a response. Just silence. Finally, she spat out..

"Daniel" …she tried to scream it but came out more of a whisper than anything. Knowing he knew what was going on. He probably was the very who had explained it all to them.

"Hey Sam"…Daniel said trying to figure out how much too even tell her.

"Sam..while on the planet, we found several books that explained the history of the Jibartan people. Carter tried to sit up for she knew that something had to be wrong for O'Neill to be so quiet. O'Neill ran to her side to help her. He didn't have the worlds to tell her she possible had a destructive being growing inside of her, but he definitely was there for her for whatever, even it was just fixing her pillows so that she would be more comfortable.

"Well…Daniel continued cautiously……he knew that she was weak and wasn't sure how much would be too much.

"Spit it out Daniel…" Carter almost yelled, but again the irritation of her voice made it sound like she was whispering. O'Neill looked at Daniel and vice versa. O'Neill with out say a word nodded his head as direction to Daniel to just s ay. SG1 worked so closely that sometimes words did not need to be spoken.

"There is something called the "Mistressa". It was sent thousands of hears ago to Amiris people as well as the Beror people. At one point they were all Berorians. But constant conflict and disagreements tore them apart. They were constantly accusing each of hiding the Mistressa and using it for their own propaganda. The Mistressa was a gift to the people. A gift of protection and a sign of peace and unity.

After so many years of battle they lost site of The Mistressa. After so many years of no sign of The Mistressa existing the people, both people started to believe that it was a myth a legend of some sort, kind of like the Tokra.

"Daniel…..ok…but how does this involve me …..I don't understand what you are getting at" Sam said. She was getting impatient. She was also exhausted and was trying her hardest to keep her eyes open.

"Carter…just listen…..you need to hear this" O'Neill stated. He softly touched her hand in the slightest of movements so no one would notice. But it alone assured her that she had to hear this to understand. She looked up at him, and knew that she needed to listen.

"The Mistressa was said to be a bright light. A light of vision and hope. But all people had to be in united in order for it to show itself. If not it would remain hidden.

If not united The Mistressa would destroy both people rather than have them exist solely to be at war for generations to come. If would rather not have them exist at all. Suddenly Carters eyes got wider. Her mind began to piece together everything that had happened since they met Amiri. The last thing she remembered was the bright light that threw her when she touched Amiri last. But where The Mistressa dwelled was something, Carter still hadn't pieced together. Her mind was trying to adjust to exactly what had happened to her. "Sam"….Fraiser chimed in. She walked towards her friend and grabbed her hand.

"Sam…the reason you are so sick….is…." Frasier paused, and was interrupted by Carter..

"Wait" she said, it didn't take long for her to catch on. "Are you telling me that this …that that……"she couldn't find the words to explain it.

"Oh my God" Carter said.

"Sam…we don't know much if anything about this" Dr. Fraiser said. Your blood work shows a pregnancy but when I did a sonogram there is nothing visual. The only thing there is audible. I can hear a heart-beat. I've never seen anything like this. So when Daniel came and stated that this Mistressa is hidden, it was the only logical explanation. I knew from your blood work previous that this wasn't a past event, but as soon as they brought you in, it was there..it was just there…" Fraiser said.

"So you're telling that there is a …a…..something…growing inside me, that can possible be a threat to the me and the base, and who knows what else" Carter said. You can hear her nerves getting the best of her. Where usually she would show her strong front, she was weak, tired, and didn't have it in her to hide this time.

O'Neill looked at her. Where he was used to seeing his strong 2IC, there was Samantha Carter the women. He could tell that she was afraid. He discretely held her hand, this wasn't like the Tokra, or carrying a symbiote, those only endangered her. This not only was a threat to her, but a threat to the base. She looked up and him. No words needed to be expressed, for they both we headed towards unfamiliar terroritory. What was the fate of Samantha Carter, what was the fate of the base, what was the fate of their unprofessed love for each other? Would he get a chance to tell or would he wait till it was too late.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Carter didn't know what to say. Everyone in the room was silent. Suddenly a commotion in the corridor, broke the awkwardness in the room.

"You can't go in there, Ms., you must stop. " an Airman shouted.

"No, I must see her, Sam…Sam…please…….." a distraught voice came from the corridor.

"Amiri", Carter said, still in shock from the news that was just given to her, she tried to lift herself of the bed to see where Amiri was calling from.

O'Neill walked towards the corridor to see what was going on. It was Amiri. She looked weak and pale. He could tell something was wrong.

"What the hell is going on here?" O'Neill practically shouted.

"Jack, please I must see Sam, please….." Amiri pleaded with Jack.

"Listen Amiri, I don't think Carter is up for visitors right now, she's…she's…..just…." O'Neill didn't know how to finish that statement.

"The Mistressa….it's The Mistressa…isn't it…….it dwells within her, does it not" Amiri stated with fear in her voice.

O'Neill had a face of shock.

"How the hell do you know that?" O'Neill said as he walked towards not realizing he was scaring her.

"Please….please….I knew nothing of it till just a few hours ago. It was as if it was a dream…..please I must see Sam…please…" Amiri pleaded with O'Neill.

O'Neill hesitated, but he knew that Amiri was the only connection to all this, and that maybe somehow Amiri could fill in the blanks that had everyone so puzzled.

"Fine, come with me" O'Neill stated, as he took her arm and guided her to the infirmary.

He realized that his grip on her was as if she was criminal. He released some of the tension of his grasp and looked down to her. He paused for second, looking at her frail body, a part of him began to pity the pour girl. She had been through things that no one should go through, and had no family or race to return to. He released her arm, and let her walk unguided by his side. Amiri looked up at him. She knew how he cared for Sam, and understood why he would be so aggressive with her. She knew she was the cause of all of Carters pain. And she hoped that she could also be the remedy. They reached the infirmary. Dr Frasier immediately looked up. She glanced at Carter and Daniel. They all saw that Amiri wasn't looking good.

"Amiri.." Carter quickly said. Suddenly realizing she wasn't sensing anything anymore.

Amiri walked towards Carter. She slowly placed her hand on her abdomen.

"It's true….The Mistressa it dwells within you" Amiri said. Her voice was shaking as the tears began to roll down her face.

"How do you know of this?" Daniel interjected. He couldn't understand how she knew of this. The information was confidential, and the only people that knew were in that room, as well as General Hammond.

"She came to me….i thought it was a dream…she was a myth to us….my parents used to speak of her, but as a fairytale and nothing more…..but she came to and thanked me..for being a hope for our people. But she said, over time, my body had sustained too much damage. She said for years she sustained me. When Carter came to the planet, she tested her, to see if she would be a worthy host…..

"Here we go with the host thing" O'Neill interjected quite sarcastically. Carter gave him that glance that without words spoke volume.

"The electric surges" Carter interrupted.

"Yes…she allowed them to see if you could possibly somewhere she can reside. My body was getting to weak. Where she could of destroyed our people, for her fury was warranted, she thought maybe there could be a chance…" Amiri tried to continue but the tears began to flow heavily.

"Hey…Hey..it's ok" Frasier tried to console her. She place her arm around Amiri's shoulder to try to comfort her. In doing so, her timing was right on, for Amiri was slowly collapsing.

"Sir…."Frasier yelled. O'Neill immediately went to her, grabbed her and placed her in the bed beside Carter.

Frasier immediately began to assess her vitals. As the nurses began to surround her hospital bed, O'Neill and Carter watched as they fervently worked on her.

"Janet…what's happening…"Carter said, trying to prop herself up from the bed as to see what they were doing to Amiri.

"I don't know Sam, but her vitals are weak" Janet said, as they continue to work on her.

"I'm sorry Sir, but you and Daniel will need to leave. I will let you know of her condition as soon as I have some more information" Fraiser said. You can see the worry in her eyes. O'Neill and Daniel both knew it wasn't good.

As they walked out of the infirmary O'Neill looked at Carter, he could see the worry in her eyes. She glanced at him, and for a moment they stared at each other. They both knew that their worlds were about to change. If this entity living within Carter was a threat to the base the government could take over and that was never a good sign. He started to head towards the door. He turned his head, looked away, and then back at Carter. He gave her that all familiar smile, assuring her that it was going to be ok. She smiled back. But she knew that the uncertainties of this whole situation had just started. What would the future hold for Samantha Carter? Would this entity kill her, or worse threaten the very existence of the world? A tear rolled down her face. Her strength was already sapped out of her. The strong soldier that she was always was, was weak and frail. Now all that lay in that bed was the women who loved this young girl, and possibly was watching the last few moments of her life. Would Amiri live to see another day? Would Sam ever be the same again? Would O'Neill profess his love to Carter, the way he's always wanted to? Time would only tell. And that as well was uncertain.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Hours later…….**_

They had wheeled Carters bed into a different area as they worked on Amiri. She didn't need to see what they were doing to her. She struggled to get up and be by her, but the nurses insisted that she stay in bed. She continued to insist further so much so that they had to give her a light sedative just to keep her in bed. When she finally woke she thought she had just had a horrible nightmare. Her eyes slowly opened to see that she was in the infirmary. As she started to come out of the sedative she saw a tall figure, sitting by her. It took her awhile to focus, to then realize it was, the one and only, it was her Colonel. She shook her realizing she called him her Colonel. Although she didn't say it aloud, she knew she couldn't even think that way.

"Hey…sleepy head.." O'Neill said. He gave her that all familiar smile that always seem to calm her down.

"Sir…" she barely got it out……. She tried to maneuver herself in bed, and he immediately got up to assist her.

"hey…why don't you stay put huh…..you need to take it easy…"…..He stated as he pushed her gently back down to the pillow.

"It wasn't a dream was it" is all she was able to get out. Her eyes giving it all away, the fear the pain the anguish the uncertainty. And he knew that Carter was at a breaking point.

"I'm sorry Carter, no it wasn't" He said.

"I don't know if I can handle this" Carter stated, with a tremble in her voice. She was fighting back the emotions that were bottled up inside.

"Goauld, Tokra, Symbiotes, …..''"she paused, "but this" she said as she looked at him.

"Hey…Hey….you're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for" O'Neill said as he parted away a small trendel of hair from her forehead. They both just stared at each other. No words were spoken. None needed to be. For they both knew what they were feeling at that moment.

Although they knew the close contact could be comprising, they didn't care. At that moment it was him and her, Sam and Jack.

As he pushed away the hair from her forehead, his hand rested near hers. She placed her hand above his, and slowly caressed it with her thumb. It threw him a back, a little, but he didn't show it. He just gave her that all familiar smile, grabbed her hand and held it tightly. "You're not alone in this Carter…not for one minute" he said trying to reassure her. "Sir…what …what if I decide to not go through with this….What if I tell Janet to remove it…without it harming anyone??" Carters mind was going a mile a minute. When was it not. "Carter …you're thinking to hard…"O'Neill said as he sat beside her. "You know that that can't happen. If that …whatever has the power to destroy a race, don't you think it has the power to protect itself?" O'Neill couldn't believe he was saying something that actually could make sense. He tilted his head, as if to show he was proud of himself for thinking of that on his own.

He knew Carter was desperate. And desperation sometimes clouds the mind. "I'm scared" she whispered to him. He looked at her. He could see the fear in her eyes. All he wanted to do was hold her close. He wanted to shield her from any hurt or pain she may endure. But he knew he couldn't do that, All he can do was be there for her, as a friend, and as a lover, secret lover in heart and mind only.

Time seemed to elapse and their worlds became one. That was until Frasier walked in on them. She too was in that room during the whole zatarc thing. She knew the two of them cared a lot more for each other than they should.

"Hey…"she broke the silence. O'Neill immediately pulled away from Carter. Carter jumped at the sound of Janet's voice. Frasier just smiled back. Somehow Carter and O'Neill knew that Fraiser wasn't going to sell them out. Although technically they hadn't done anything.

"How is she?" Carter asked. Trying to change the mood of the room.

Frasier slowly walked up to Sam. Amiri's condition was worsening. And Frasier just didn't know how to tell Sam. But she did know that she couldn't lie to her friend, for Carter would of seen right through her.

"Sam…it's not good….she's weak…and their isn't much more we can do for her. She's slipped into a coma" She said as her eyes began to fill up with tears. "I'm sorry"…

Sam could see the anguish in her eyes. She knew how dedicated Janet was. And the fact that she couldn't help Amiri, was killing her.

Silence fell in the room. No one knew what to say.

"can I see her?" Carter asked and broke the silence.

"Sam..you really need to rest" Frasier stated. But she also knew that if she didn't let Sam see her, she would not rest till she did. Before Carter interjected, Janet continued…

"O.k. fine..but I want you in a wheel chair" Frasier stated.

"Janet..I'm fine…" Carter hated to be babied. Before she could say another word, O'Neill interjected.

"I'll take her" He said. But behind that statement was a boyish grin of satisfaction of being to wheel Carter around. Carter was about to interject, but she knew that if she was going to see Amiri, fighting this was not going to get her any further.

"Fine" she said. But she was annoyed. And she made sure they knew she was. She was all familiar with O'Neill's look though. She knew he was enjoying this way to much. As the nurse went to get the chair, Carter began to move herself off of the bed. He placed her feet on the floor, but didn't realize how weak she really was. She could barely stand. That boyish attitude was gone as soon as it came. He immediately ran to her side. His want to protect was so evident.

"Hey you ok?" He immediately asked.

"Yea…yea….um…just didn't realize my legs weren't working" Carter said, trying to make light of the situation. They both smiled. They knew that humor was something that was going to help them through this. He got her in the chair and grabbed one of the blankets from the bed. He placed it on her legs. She gave him that all familiar smile, that said "Thank you" but no words were spoken.

As he began to wheel her towards Amiri's room, He worried. Carter was weak in every sense of the word. Physically, emotionally, mentally. He wasn't sure she could handle this. But he knew that she had to go see her. Even if it was just to say goodbye. She wouldn't be doing it alone, he was right there by her side. She wouldn't be doing any of this alone. For some reason the walk to Amiri seemed a lot longer than it usual took. O'Neill's mind was going a mile a minute. Carter was going to need him. She couldn't gate travel anymore until they figured out what this was? Would she actually give birth to a being? Once they government found about this, would she end up in confinement, or be shipped off to a different facility for monitoring? O'Neill didn't know what kind of situation she was going to end up in. All he knew was that he was going to be there every step of the way. But how would he do that? He was still the Commanding Officer of SG1? SG1 still was an active team. But SG1 would not be the same without Carter. Screw it, he wouldn't be the same without Carter there, and her techno-babble that he had grown to love. From this moment on, life was about to change. O'Neill had a decision to make. And he knew he had to make it fast. Resigning was the only option. It wasn't such a bad thing. As he thought about it more, he started to actual smile. Suddenly Carter woke him from his daydream "Sir". He had stopped in his tracks.

"Sir" she again said, this time turning around and looking at him. He had that all familiar grin on his face.

"What are you smiling about?" She said.

"Oh nothing" O'Neill tried to quickly come out of his daydream. They looked at each other for a brief moment, and he continued his way to Amiri's room. Carter slowly turned around and wondered where his mind was. Her mind was running away as well. She didn't know what to think of first. Her mind was in a whirlwind. Will Amiri die? Will she ever wake from her coma, and allow Carter to tell her that she loved her? And what about "The Mistressa"? Was it a baby? Was it just a being? Would this now jeopardize her place on the team? How would the government play in all this? Carter did not have the answers to any of these questions. But right now she had to push those thoughts away. And focus on one thing. Amiri. She had to gain the strength to face the enivitable. That Amiri may never wake from this coma, and that she might just die.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

They finally reached Amiri's room. Neither Carter nor O'Neill was prepared for what they saw. There laid this frail shell of a body. Her eyes were sunken in with dark circles under her eyes. Her body was pale white. Carter was shocked. O'Neill placed his hand on her shoulder and she immediately reached for it and held it for a moment.

"Can you help me up?" she asked.

He looked at her, locked the wheels of the chair and helped her up. There was a chair beside Amiri's bed and he helped her to it. She closely sat down and grabbed Amari's hand. It was cold and damp. It was as if death had already passed by her, and was slowly taking her away. Carter didn't know what to say. O'Neill came and stood beside her. If not for machines recording her slow heart beat, she already looked as if she'd passed on.

"Jack" Carter whispered his name.

He lifted his eyebrows for a second as she called out to him by his first name, but all he did was lean down to her and whispered in her ear,

"talk to her Carter.. I'm right here"…he stood back up not letting go of her shoulder. She looked up at him and nodded, not knowing what she was going to say…

" Hi Amiri, it's me Sam….you have to fight…, Amiri please…I know you are scared but you are not alone. You can start a new life here, You can live with me…I promise it will be ok, Please Amiri" by this time Sam was crying it more than saying it.

O'Neill could tell it was draining her. He was becoming concerned that it was becoming to much for her. Carter placed her head on the side of the bed and began to sob. Much like she did, when she had to leave Cassie down in the bunker. O'Neill didn't know what to do. It scared him to see her that way.

"Please Amiri,,,, fight…please" Carter cried barely able to get the words out. O'Neill's heart ached for her. He knew how much she cared for this girl, and a part of him hated himself for how he treated her. By this time he could hear Carter whimpering by her bed side.

"Please…please…please" is all she kept saying. He looked at Carter and knew he had to get her out of there. She was already weak and this wasn't making it any better.

"Carter" he said, as he pulled her back into a sitting position, But when he did he suddenly felt the surge of energy.

"What the",,, was all he could say. Carter slowly sat up. She wiped her face and looked at him. Realizing what had just happened.

"You felt that Sir, didn't you?" She said, back to the Sirs. They looked at each other. Slowly realizing what she meant.

"You mean that was…the…it…that….I mean….you know" He said trying to find the right words.

"Since the first day I met Amiri it was something I couldn't explain. Now you've experienced it." She said regaining her strength.

"Ah yeah, you can call that an experience" He said sarcastically as always.

"O.k. so why am I now feeling it" He asked.

"I don't know Sir" she said. " I didn't know why with Amiri either" she said with worry in her voice.

"O.k. I think we've had enough here. Time to get you back to your room" he said as he began to place her back in the chair.

"Sir, please just a little longer?" Carter pleaded.

"Carter you need to rest and this is not resting, it's emotionally draining you.." He said with concern.

Carter knew how he cared for her. She knew that "wild horses", wouldn't keep him away. She looked into his eyes, and knew that he was right. She nodded and said nothing. The tears rolling down her eyes said it all. As Carter looked at Amiri she suddenly realized that whatever was living inside her, was a part of Amiri, she realized then that she had to protect it, love it and cherish it as only Amiri would. As Carter began to feel love towards this being within her, a light slowly started to glow by her abdomen. O'Neill stepped back….

"Carter.." was all he was able to get out, as he began to reach for his gun.

"Sir…no it's ok…it's o.k. she won't hurt me.." Carter stated as she placed her hand on her abdomen. She looked down and started to weep.

"I had to love it" she said.

"Carter…what the hell are you talking about". O'Neill said, showing his so called patient side. "Sir, I can hear her talking… I can't explain it…But she knew I would keep it safe, out of duty….but she had to know that I would love her as well..only then would she protect me." Carter said through her sobbing tears.

She looked at O'Neill and the light dimmed and disappears, and then in the background you suddenly heard a long beep. Amiri had flat-lined. Carter immediately turned.

"No…No….please" Carter pleaded, as the nurses ran to Amiri's side. Dr. Frasier came running into the room. She turned to the machine and knew there was nothing more that could be done.

"Sam…Sam…" Frasier had Carter by the shoulders. " No please, she can't be…please" Carter begged.

"Sam..she's gone Sam…she's gone" Frasier kept saying. Carter turned and grabbed O'Neill and held on for dear life. He knew that she had grown to love Amiri. He just held her, till she calmed down but before he let her go, again the electric surge. He felt it permeate through his entire body. He didn't say anything. Now wasn't the time. He slowly helped Carter back into the wheel chair, and began to push her back into her room. Before they left, O'Neill looked back at Frasier. She smiled at him, and nodded and then turned to Amiri. As she slowly pulled the sheet over her head. O'Neill looked on, and continued to push Carter. What would become of Carter, Why did he start to now feel the surges? Would Carter's fate end like Amiri's? To weak to fight to weak to live? All O'Neill knew was that right now right then she needed him, needed him to just be there and of course, as he promised he "ALWAYS" would.


	23. Chapter 23

Several weeks later:

Carter had been discharged from the infirmary. Gate travel was out of the questions Hammond knew to many questions still needed to be answered and now with Amiri gone, they were on their own. Carter had spent most of her time in her lab. She used the time to catch up on work that she couldn't do with so much gate traveling. But how she already missed it .SG1 had already gone on missions without her, and she didn't know how she was going to handle it.

"knock knock" O'Neill knocked as well as said the words. She didn't respond. She was lost in her thoughts and now a days there were many. O'Neill slowly walked in the room. He didn't want to startle her. He felt guilty. SG1 had been on several missions and he hadn't had the time to check on here.

"Carter" he said her name, she still was off in another world. The world of her thoughts. He slowly just sat by her. His presence broke her out of her trance.

"Sir" she said shaking her head as if to shake the thoughts away.

"I'm sorry… I didn't hear you walk in" she said.

"Yea.. I sort of got that " he said, with that all familiar smile.

"You o.k.?" He asked already knowing the answer to that question. She didn't answer. She just shrugged her shoulders.

"I miss you" she said softly. He looked at her. He reached for her hand and there it was again.

"Oh for crying out loud" he said. "Can't I just touch her without you shocking me each time?" he looked down at Carters abdomen. He was clearly talking to the Mistressa.

"Sir" Carter said startled by his reaction.

"Sorry Carter…it's just a little"

"Annoying" Carter interrupted.

He paused "Yea" .

"How do you think I feel" Carter said.

"I don't know Carter; actually I've never asked you?" He said. They looked at each other. Carter was filled with emotions and questions not really able to talk to anyone about them. Everyone had become so busy. The Goaul'd were active the last couple of weeks, and with SG1 away on missions, Janet busy taking care of injured solders, Carter was kind on her own. Hammond was able to convince the President that they had everything under control. And for the time being Carter was no threat. But still she kept under careful watch. There wasn't much activity. Carter met with Janet and everything was the same. Blood work should signs of pregnancy but ultrasound still showed nothing. She found at times talking to her, hoping she could get answers. But, besides her shocking the colonel just then, she had fallen silent.

"You got a couple of hours?" she said jokingly. Not expecting him to answer.

"Actually I do" he said.

"Sir" she was shocked that he answered.

"Carter I want you to go pack a bag,….we are going fishing" he said with a grin on his face.

"Sir…I…I.. was joking" she said with nervousness in her voice.

"Well I'm not" he said.

"You've been cooped up down her for too long. Some good old fashioned forest air would do you some good" he said.

"But Sir..I don't think I'm allowed off base?" she said.

"you don't worry about that" he said as he leaned in to touch her shoulder but as he did he pulled back knowing a shock was coming.

"Go pack a bag Carter. Meet me on the surface in an hour" he said. "

"Sir but"

"Ah AH Ah no buts….go" he said.

She smiled honestly the thought of getting off that mountain became more appealing as she thought of it.

"Yes Sir" was the last thing she said as she made her way to the lockers.

O'Neill knew that Hammond would release her, if it was with him and he also knew that Carter needed it. So with that he granted permission. O'Neill made his way to the elevator. Carter was already waiting.

"It's ok Airman" Carter had been escorted to the elevator and was not allowed to leave till O'Neill arrived.

"She's with me" He said.

"Yes Sir" the Airman said and left the two of them by the elevator.

"Ready for some good old fashioned fishing" he asked as he pressed the elevator button up.

"Yes Sir..Actually looking forward to it" she said.

They both looked at each other and smiled. They stepped into the elevator and didn't say a word all the way up. Sometimes words didn't need to be spoken. They arrived to the surface. As they made their way to the parking lot, O'Neill saw Carter walking towards her car.

"Carter…where you going?" he asked.

"My car Sir" she said.

"You leave your car here. ..We'll take my truck" He said.

"Oh" she stated with surprise in her voice.

"um o.k." she said. He smiled and they walked towards the truck. As they got in he started the truck. It had been sitting there for awhile so it needed to warm up. She was silent. She was playing with the button on her sweater. He can see she was nervous. She always got fidgety.

"Hey" he said. She looked up.

"hey" she said back.

"you ok?" he asked knowing she would lie.

"yeah..i'm fine" she said and smiled at him. He wasn't convinced for one second.

"You know you're going to be fine" he said. But the way he said it, was so matter of fact.

"How can you be so sure Sir" she asked.

"I don't know Carter…I just do" He said. He put the car in drive and off they went.

The drive was long. Carter had drifted to sleep. She got quite comfortable and found herself snuggled up on O'Neill's arm. He didn't mind. Not one bit. Actually he was enjoying the smell of her hair and she was almost intoxicating. Before he knew he had pulled his arm up and wrapped it around her. He drove with one hand the entire way "Shoot" he thought to himself I'd drive with my knee if I had too" The grin on his was as wide as a chesire cat, "I can get used to this" he thought to himself. As he continued to drive, suddenly Carter began to glow again. But she didn't wake up. It startled him but he let it play out. He started to talk to it.

"Um..hey….ahh…we're good here right?" he asked. The light pulsed as if it answered him.

"You know we are not going hurt you. You can stop playing hide and seek" he said to it.

"She's a special lady you know. And I will guard her with my life if need be" he said.

Carter was awake at this point. But she remained still. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. O'Neill continued, "I don't now what the surge means and you welcome to shock me as much as you want, just don't hurt her, or us for that matter. Our ways are different here. No one will ever hurt her like they did Amiri. You need to know what" O'Neill said.

He suddenly realized he was talking a little louder and Carter could wake up. Before he finished he looked down to her, this beautiful women lying on his side and he whispered the words he's always know but never verbally said "I love her".

Carter laid there numb. Did she just hear what she thought she heard? Oh my god, she didn't know what to do. "Oh my god, he loves me?" She said to herself. He really does. It took everything in her to not let her tears flow from her eyes. She began to scuffle around in her seat as if to make believe she was waking up. She got up and looked at him.

"Hey…he said.

"Hey" she said back.

"sleep well?" He said with that familiar grin.

"Yea…I guess so" she said with her amazing smile.

"Well good we're almost there" He said as he pointed down the road.

"O great because I really need to use the bathroom" she said. Although no fetus was showing on the monitor she had all the symptoms. "oh yeah I forgot how much pregnant women can go" he said.

Pregnant. That word. She hadn't really had any one call her that till now. She sat back and realized that is what she exactly was. She became pensive. He immediately noticed

"Carter?" He said her name and she knew he was asking if she was OK yet again.

"huh..oh yea.. I'm fine, fine" she said.

"We're almost there" he said.

"OK" she knew she had to accept this. Yes she loved it because it was the part of Amiri but it will still a lot to take in. They finally reached the cabin. O'Neill pulled in and immediately ran to the door for her. she was already doing the "pee dance".

"Bathroom's on the left down the hallway" he said. She couldn't get there fast enough. A she went to relieve herself he went back to the truck to get their bags. The sun was just setting, and something told him that this was going to be a weekend he would never forget. As he came back Carter was still in the bathroom. She stood there staring at herself.

"he loves me" she whispered to herself, this time allowing the tears to flow. Suddenly she heard a voice.

"yes he does and he will be the one to protect you and inevitably me" it said.

Carter froze she didn't know how to react to what she was hearing. She hadn't gotten used to the fact that this "being" choice of a better word was speaking to her. It was different than Jolinar those were emotions. But this, this was actual conversing and it was scaring the hell out of her.

"I know your ways are different but love is universal. Love conquers all things you will need him more than ever before and he will need you. The bond between the two of you has been destined. Yes your life will change, but I can say it will change to a life you never had, a life you never experienced. Life with him" it said.

"there is nothing to fear I see that you do not want to harm me and once I reveal myself to this world, there will be many who will love and protect me. But know this i also will protect you. Should harm come to you. I will defend you at all costs" it said.

Carter didn't know whether to respond or to just think it. She did both.

"OK" she said.

Suddenly O'Neill shouted "Carter you all right in their?" he said. Making sure she was OK.

"yeah I'm fine I'll be right out" she yelled back. She looked at herself in the mirror and just stared for a second "I can do this" she said to herself as she reached for abdomen.

"I can do this" she repeated. Suddenly she heard …..

"No…. we can do this" it said.

And with that Carter open the door paused…… then closed the door leaving all the doubt behind.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

He had cooked dinner and even made desert. Carter had no idea he had domestic abilities. But she should have guessed it what couldn't this man do. She tried to help clean up but he wouldn't allow her.

"Ah, Ah, Ah,..I got this..." he said. "Why don't you just go get comfy..maybe we'll watch an old flick or something?" he said.

He just looked at her.

"_God she is beautiful"_ he said to himself.

Staring even longer than he usually did. She got embarrassed and put her head down and said "Ok" as she made her way to the living room. It was cool in the cabin and there was draft, so she took the blanket on the sofa and wrapped it around her. She found a magazine on the coffee table and just started to skim through but she as already feeling the exhaustion. After he finished in the kitchen he walked into the living room only to see a beautiful blonde fast asleep on his couch.

"_What a site"_ he said to himself.

He didn't want to wake her so he carefully picked her up and carried her to the spare room. He took of her shoes, and pulled the covers over her. He made sure she was comfortable. He looked at her engaged in thought, he just stood there. Oh how he wanted to crawl into bed with her, and old her but now wasn't the time. As he headed towards the door "thank you" were the words he heard from her, as closed the door. He was grinning from ear to ear. Though the circumstances weren't ideal, still Carter was in his house, alone and safe and as long as he could help it was going to remain that way.

That morning…..

The smell of coffee filled the cabin. He was up early as always and began to prepare breakfast. Carter hadn't budged. He knew she was tired so he let her sleep. He also knew how tired pregnancy made women she definitely tried to make as little noise as possible. Carter lay in bed, she was awake for military time was engrained in her, but she couldn't find the strength to get out of bed. As always her mind was going a mile a minute. The only thing she could focus on was the words she heard him say _"I love her"._ A she replayed that moment, the grin on her face began to grow….but all too soon she was reminded of the state of her body…A bout of nausea overtook her and she couldn't get up from the bed fast enough. He heard the door open and he let out a _"Good morning"_ only to see a figure fly by and straight to the guest bathroom. There morning was met with severe vomiting. He can hear her in the bathroom, and could remember all to well, when Sara was pregnant with Charlie. This is one of the moments he was happy to be a man. As he continued breakfast, he noticed this bout was becoming a little too long. He made it to the bathroom and knocked.

"Carter" he called out to her. The worry in his voice was evident.

"Jack" is all he barely heard. He almost broke his own door down only to find her sprawled on the floor.

"Sam…" he said as he knelt down to her.

"Sam stay with me... C'mon" he said.

She was barely conscious. He reached for his cell phone and immediately called the base. He knew he could het her there faster, but he wanted to let them know she was coming. He immediately lifted her off the floor and carried her to the car. He drove like a maniac. He just wanted to get her there as fast as possible. He finally reached the base in record time He got in the elevator and the med team was already waiting for them. He placed her on the gurney. Dr. Frasier and the med team started running towards the infirmary.

"What happened?" Dr. Frasier yelled as she was checking her vitals.

"I have no clue" he said. "She was hurling in the bathroom, you know morning sickness, and then she got real quiet. So I checked and she was unconscious" He said as he followed the gurney.

"Get her an IV drip fast" Frasier shouted.

"Sir,,,I need you to wait out here" She said. "I promise I'll get you, when I find out what's wrong" she said. She could see the worry in his face.

"Jack…please" she said. The use of his first name was very rare. But he knew that she cared for her as well.

He looked at her and nodded.

"You might want to go shower and change too" she said. When he looked down he realized that he was bathed in vomit. In the haste to get Carter to the infirmary he hadn't realized he had knelt right into it all.

"You have a point" he said. He made his way to the showers and freshened up before he headed right back to the infirmary.

_**Several Hours Later…..**_

All showered and cleaned, Jack sat outside the infirmary. He paced. Not one for patience.

"Hey" a voice said in the distance. It was Daniel.

"I heard about Sam" he said. "Is she o.k.?" He asked.

"Not sure" O'Neill replied. "Doc hasn't gotten back to me yet."

"You mind if I wait with you?" he asked. O'Neill said nothing. He shrugged his shoulders. He had his hands in his pocket and just began to pace again.

"Sir" suddenly Frasier came out.

"I need to go brief Hammond, figured you'd like to join me" she said.

Daniel was standing right there.

"You can come too Daniel" She said, recognizing his pouting face of "Can I come too".

They reached the Generals office. He brought them to the briefing room.

"Doc, so what's going on with Carter" O'Neill asked before the General could even say a word.

"Well besides the obvious dehydration, I think you all need to see this" She had a video tape with her. She placed it in the machine. It was a sonogram image. Everyone had a face of _"Ah ok what does this mean"_ She could read them all so well.

"This is Major Carter's sonogram" she added. "Every sonogram I've taken of her has always shown an empty mass, until now…"

"Until Now???" O'Neill chimed in.

"Yes, you see this…here" she pointed to an area in the screen.

"That is the fetus" Frasier stated. They all sat for a moment. With no sign of a fetus they all hadn't really accepted that Carter was indeed pregnant. But now, there it stood in front of them all, a clip of what was growing inside her.

"I can even tell you the sex" Frasier said, but before she could say it, O'Neill blurted it out.

"It's a girl"… "How did you know" Daniel said in bewilderment.

"Listen...that whole surge thing that Carter was experiencing with Amiri …well now it's happening to me..." O'Neill said. They all just stared at each other.

"Yeah my reaction exactly" O'Neill said.

"Colonel is this something I need to worry about?" Hammond said. Two of his soldiers out of commission was something he was going to have to figure out.

"Don't think so Sir" O'Neill said.

"At this point Sir, Carter needs to rest" Frasier interrupted the obvious awkwardness.

"I think the revealing of itself might have been too much on Caters system. Her body has a lot to adjust too" Frasier said.

"Can I see her" O'Neil quickly asked.

"Yes but not for long. I need for her to rest" Frasier stated strongly.

"Sir" O'Neill said, hoping Hammond was done. "Dismissed" Hammond said. "Dr. Keep me posted" Hammond aid. Before Hammond could finish O'Neill was out. He made his way to the infirmary. There was the love of his life; laying on the gurney, she was hooked up to IV, and a fetal monitor. There it was the sound of the monitor. It stunned O'Neill. Suddenly he realized this was all really happening.

"Has she come to?" he asked the nurse who was regulating her IV.

"No..Sir..I'm sorry..she" Suddenly a voice interrupted them.

"Jack" Carter called out to him. Calling him by his first name in front of other personnel. He looked at the nurse; she smiled back at him as if to say she understood.

"I'll go get Dr. Frasier" she said. O'Neill nodded as if to say thanks for not having us court martialled.

"Jack" said she again.

"Hey..I'm here" he said as he reached for her hand and there it was again the surge

"Shhh…it's ok..you're in the infirmary…you passed out" He told her. She just held on his hand for dear life.

"You're gonna be fine." He said He paused and looked at her.

"You both are" he said. He was reading her mind. She relaxed her grip and smiled.

"Rest Carter" I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here" he assured her. He pulled a chair close to her bed and sat by her side, the whole night. What would this mean for the both of them? The unprofessed love was evident between them. O'Neill knew something had to change. She was sacrificing her life not it was time for him to make a sacrifice, but would it be too late?


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

_**Several Days Later….**_

Carter was released from the infirmary. She was placed on light duty. She was already beginning to show. Signs that the Mistressa was beginning to gain there trust Carter sat in her lab. Her immediate trips to the bathroom became less frequent, and she was beginning to settle into this new role. Of course O'Neill visited often. He would tell her often about the most recent mission. It was a catch 22 though. Every time he brought it up her heart sank with the longing of her wanting to be there. But she also wanted to hear about it. She though id she could be there then she would live vicariously through them. There talks became often. Where lunch would be the SG1 as a whole, now a days you would find carter and the colonel sitting alone conversing and laughing. It was quite a sight to see. Personnel would watch them, but where you though actions or repercussion would take place, it was quite the opposite. Most of them knew that sg1 had sacrificed any type of normalcy in order to protect the planet, better yet in order to protect them. So they let them be. Carter and O'Neill knew they were being watched. But they also knew tat the connection between them was growing stronger by the day. So they honestly didn't care.

"Hey" a voice interrupted the hysterical laughing from Carter and O'Neill. It was Daniel. He looked like a lost puppy. "Hey" Carter said back. "You guys mind if I join you?" he asked with a pout on his face. "Of course not Danny boy" O'Neill said reaching out his hand to have him sit next to him

"Thanks …was getting pretty lonely eating alone" he said but with the obvious implications. Carter and O'Neill looked at each other and grinned. They didn't mean to exclude Daniel our Teal'c for that matter, but with Teal'c off world, and Daniel spending most of his time in the lab, it was just Carter and O'Neill. And they didn't mind at all.

"So what's new Daniel" O'Neill asked. As usual he really didn't care to know, but was trying to make casual conversation.

"Well actually SG15….." Daniel began to babble away. Of course Carter was intrigued but O'Neill zoned out. He just watched as Carters eyes lit up with Daniels info about new missions and encounters. She can sense him starring and looked up only to find him grinning like a Cheshire cat. She pushed her leg underneath the table and softly tapped his foot. He waved his hands as if to say "what" but he didn't say a word. Daniel and Carter kept up the "techno-babble" as O'Neill called it. But then suddenly it was interrupted

"Ahhhhh…."Carter yelled as she grasped her belly.

"Carter" O'Neill ran to her side. "What is it" he asked scared out of his mind for her.

"I don't know" she replied back in fear.

"Let's get you to the infirmary" O'Neill said already grabbing her elbow to help her up.

"No..It's o.k…Sir…its o.k. I'm ok really" carter was trying to convince him. She wasn't sure what the twinge was but she didn't want to go the infirmary again, so she hoped it was just the baby adjusting itself.

"If I start to run to Frasier for every little twinge I feel I might as well move into the infirmary" Carter said hoping she could calm him.

"Not a bad idea" O'Neill spat back. Carter gave him that look of "I'd like to punch your arm right now" but again words were spoken for him to know exactly what she was thinking.

He paused for a second and then realized that she was right. He remembered Sara's pregnancy and how sometimes she would yell out only for it to be Charlie playing soccer with her insides.

"But promise me you will go see the Doc if anything else occurs" he asked.

"I promise" she said back, seeing the worry in his eyes.

"Well I'd love to sit here and chat all day, but I have some reports I need to complete by end of day soo…I'll catch with you all later?" she said aiming the question towards O'Neill. But Daniel answered. "Yea…we could" but he stopped realizing she wasn't talking to him.

"Oh you meant….um..never mind" he said, embarrassed he jumped to conclusions. Carter chuckled and left the table.

"So…Jack…the two of you" Daniel began to tread on dangerous waters.

"Daniel" O'Neill said his name in that voice of annoyance.

"What?" he said.

By this point O'Neill was making his way out of the commissary and left Daniel alone at the table. He wasn't going to discuss their relationship, if you can even call it that.

Carter was walking towards her lab. The smile on her face was evident to all. If you didn't know her, you would wonder why she would be so happy in such an awkward situation. But Carter smiled because she knew her Colonel and yes she can call him that, loved her. She could almost skip it gave her so much joy. But suddenly that joy was quickly replaced by pain. Carter leaned against the hallway wall and gasped her belly. "oh God" she yelled" "What's wrong: she asked it. She knew it could respond. She suddenly heard the voice but she could sense that it was struggling. "Your makeup..it's different from Amiris. I've been trying to stabilize it without making you ill, but in turn it's affected me" it said. Carter leaned against the wall for balance. As she leaned, she looked down and suddenly saw red running down her leg.

"Oh God" she cried. "You must go..see your Doctor…Sam…you need to get to her" it pleaded.

The pain was worsening. Carter cried out "Help..someone please….." An airman head her cried and immediately came to her side. He can see the blood and knew what was happening.

"I got you major" He said. He wisped her up into his arms and ran her to the infirmary. "Dr…Dr" he yelled. Frasier came out of her office. "What happened?" she asked. "I found her in the hallway" He said.

"Janet" Carter cried.

"It's ok Sam, I got you.." she said.

"Frasier began instructing the nurses in what needed to be done. Carter laid there crying. This life had become a part of her. She couldn't lose it. It would be like losing Amiri all over again.

"Janet please I can't lose her" She pleaded with Dr. Frasier.

"You won't Sam, if I have anything to do with it. You hang in there you hear me" Frasier practically ordering her. By this time news had traveled to O'Neill.

"What the hell" he said as he made his way into the infirmary.

"I'm sorry Sir, you will have to wait out here" the nurse said. "the hell I am" he said. Fighting to get through.

"Sir..please Major Carter is being examined right now. You can't go in there" the nurse pleaded with him.

Realizing what she was saying he backed off, and just started to pace the hallway again. Minutes felt like hours and O'Neill was growing impatient. Examination or none he was going to walk in there. But right before he did, Frasier came out.

"Doc what the hell happened?" he asked her.

"I don't know sir, I have no idea" she said. "I've given her something for the pain, but it doesn't look good" she said.

"For crying out loud, can't she catch a break" he yelled. As he punched the door.

"Colonel.." Frasier yelled. "hey…Hey…Jack you need to calm down, she needs you to be there for her" she said.

He ruffled his hair, as he always did when he didn't have control and he was upset.

"Go be with her Jack, just be with her" Frasier said. Knowing there was nothing more she could do for her. He knew that when she used his first name that things weren't looking good. He nodded his head and made his way in. He went to her side, and grabbed her hand to be met with yet again the surge. It had become part of the routine and at times he wouldn't even realize it was happening. But this time was different. Now it was a steady surge, where as before it was just short burst of shocks.

"Carter" he called her name.

"Jack…she's weak, Jack…she said it's my genetic makeup, it's different from Amiri's ..and that she's been trying to adapt without harming me but it's taken a toll on her",,, Carter said as tears rolled of her face.

"shhhhhhhhhh it's gonna b o.k." he said as he wiped her tears.

"Carter…listen to me…do you feel that?" he asked her. The surge hadn't stopped. "What do you mean?" Carter stated in confusion.

"The surge….Sam, it hasn't stopped since I touché your hand, and I haven't let go, it's just a constant sensation" he said.

"Jack I don't feel it, I don't feel it at all" she said starting to panic wondering if she should be feeling it.

"Shh…it's ok….it's ok….." he said..trying to calm her..

"Has she said anything else to you?" he asked trying to get some answers.

"No…not since was in the hallway" she said.

"I'm scared Jack…" she admitted to him, he brought her hand up to his face, and said "So am I, Sam, so am I".

They looked into each others eyes, and both could see the fear in each others eyes.

All he wanted to do was lie beside her, hold her and take away the pain and fear, but all he could do is hold her hand and be there for her during this ordeal.

Hours had passed and he had fallen asleep by her bed side still holding her hand. Where Frasier would have interrupted, she let them be. She knew that these two needed each other, but what she didn't know was how much. When she began to examine Carter she started to see improvement. She was bewildered. Couple of hours ago, it looked grim, but they both might have a chance. If her findings were correct, Carter and baby were almost back to normal. She had to inform O'Neill.

"Sir" she whispered as to not wake Carter up..

"Hmm…he said softly…"can you come with me to my office" Frasier said softly. O'Neill was stiff for having been in an awkward position. He stretched and starting following Frasier.

"What's up Doc" he said, trying to make light of the situation as he always did.

"Actually Sir, "she's improved. "They both have" she said.

"What did you do?" he asked in shock. For the last time they spoke it wasn't looking good.

"That's just it…..I didn't do anything…." She said confused.

"Well as long as they are ok. It doesn't matter to me" he said in relief.

"Well I'm going to run some more test. So why don't you go get some sleep.. I'll come get you when she wakes up" she said.

"neh.." he said and stretched. "I'm fine" as he walked his way back to Carters bed.

"Sir, I can make it an order" she said strongly.

"Janet..Really I'm fine, I just need to be with her" he said to her, hoping she would understand.

"I know that Jack, trust me I do, but you are no good to her exhausted" she said.

Suddenly the nurse came running into her office. "Dr. Frasier it's Major Carter…her vitals have dropped again" the nurse said.

"What???" the Colonel and Dr. Frasier stated at the same time.

They both ran out of the office to Carters side. O'Neill immediately grabbed her hand, and again the surge was there but stronger this time. But he didn't realize all he was concerned was about her right now. Frasier started working on Carter. Two steady beats started to be heard on the monitors. Carter's and the babies.

"What the?" O'Neill said in shock. He was confused as ever. Frasier suddenly began to see a pattern.

He was confused as ever.

"Nurse when did her stats start dropping?" Frasier asked. She was starting to realize that there was a pattern here.

"It was right about the time you and the colonel went to your office" the nurse said.

"Sir…do me a favor, let go of her hand" Frasier said. O'Neill was starting to worry that she was talking about there non-frat rules.

"Doc..ah..it's not like that?" he bone faced lied to her.

"Sir, I know that . I just want to see something here" She said. O'Neill slowly pulled his hand away. They watch her stats. Nothing.

"Hmmm…ok..Colonel would you mind going and waiting in the hallway" Frasier asked. "For crying out loud Janet" Colonel please just humor me would ya."

She said having a feeling that there was more to Carters stats dropping and returning normal than met the eye. Colonel, annoyed, walked into the hallway and leaned against the wall. Not even 1 minute had passed and Carters vitals began to drop again.

"Sir" Frasier yelled out.

He ran back in. "What the?" O'Neill said.

"Sir I need you to come close and grab her hand again." Frasier said immanently. O'Neill did jus that .Just as Frasier had suspected. Cater was reacting to O'Neill. His proximity, his touch is what was maintaining them . Frasier couldn't believe it.

"Ahhhh…so…I'm doing this?" O'Neill said. Realizing what Frasier was testing.

"It seems so Sir" Frasier said. As they both stared at each other. Carter started to wake. She slowly opened her eyes to see Jack standing there.

"Hey" she could barely get the word out.

"Hey back" O'Neill said.

"She's weak" Carter said. Frasier and O'Neill both looked at each other. What was Carter talking about?

Carter continued. "my make-up is different than Amiri's" she said trying to sit up.

"She was trying to adapt without harming me…but she wasn't successful. She says that there is something in you. You are different. When you are close she feeds of your energy and can then begin to adapt to me" Carter finished saying.

"Can you hear her now Major?" Frasier asked.

"No…it's …it's like in a dream…I can almost see her too." Carter said.

"Well sir…I guess you are not going anywhere." Frasier said.

"Nurse, lets move Carter into her private quarters, and lets have them add a bed in there; Sir, till I talk to Hammond, private quarters will have to do for now" Frasier wondering if this was just fate finally throwing Sam and Jack a bone.

"Ah ok…so you'll brief Hammond?" O'Neill said worried how this was going to play out.

"Well you can't unless we bring Carter along. And I'd rather have her resting" she said.

"I'm fine.." Carter sneaked in. Trying to sit herself up.

"Carter you are not moving from that bed unless you need to pee, and I can fix that to with a catheter if you'd like" Frasier stated strongly.

Carter immediately replied "I'm lying down, I'm lying down."

O'Neill looked at her and made the facial expression of "ouch" Catheters were never fun.

Frasier made her way to Hammond's office. This was one for the books. O'Neill and Carter were now linked by this being. How? She had no clue. all she knew was that O'Neill was Carters life-line and they had to stay together in order for her and the Mistressa to live.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

After meeting with Hammond they both made their way to the private quarters. They prepared for Carter. Hammond knocked on the door. "Come in" Carter said. Dr Frasier and Hammond both entered the room.

"Sir" Carter said, trying to sit up at attention. Even while laid up on a bed, she respected authority.

"At ease Carter" Hammond said with a smile. He always admired her respect for the military. He knew that there were was more to her and O'Neill but that neither of had acted on it while still in service.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm ok Sir" she said.

"yea..until I leave the room" O'Neill interjected.

"Yes….Dr. Frasier has filled me in. Hammond stated.

"Colonel, I need for you tell me if there's something I need to worry about?" Hammond asked.

"Well Sir honesty I don't know so far, as long as I'm in close proximity she's fine. It's just the leaving part….that's the problem" He said.

"Do you see danger Colonel?" Hammond asked.

"No" Carter interrupted.

"I'm sorry Sir, but I should be asked that question. The reason she decided to show herself is because she trusts us. All she wants is to be able to fully form. She is the last of her race. She hopes to be now the first but one united" Carter said.

They all stood quiet!. That's the most explanation they had all gotten since this all began. Hammond walked towards Carter . He place his hand on hers and smiled.

"you have my support Carter" Hammond said.

"Before I walked in I spoke to the President, and his main concern was if there was any danger he needed to worry about and in confidence I told him no". he said.

" I trust you both explicitly. You both have time coming your way. Go ahead and take that time off. Hopefully you won't have to be joined at the hip for too long" he said.

"As long as the Doctor gives you clearance" he said. He smiled to them both.

"Dr. if that's all?" he asked Frasier.

"Then I'll see you both in a couple of week." He said.

"Janet can I" Carter said "You mean we" O'Neill interrupted. "Uh..yea right" Carter said, feeling a bit guilty that O'Neill was stuck with her. But worse things have happened.

"Well I'd like to monitor you for a couple of days to make sure…but I don't see it being a problem as long as you keep me posted on her progress, Sir" Frasier said, addressing O'Neill.

"You got it" he said. "O.k. well lets give it 3 days, if no change you have my clearance." She said.

"three days, Janet, seriously" O'Neill looked at her.

"You know me and small spaces" O'Neill said as me motioned with his hands.

"I'm sorry Sir" Carter said. She felt horrible that she was the cause of this. O'Neill wished he would of bit his tongue.

"Sorry Carter, didn't mean it that way" he said. "Yea you did" she said. He didn't reply.

"Well I'm not restricting her to bed. So as long as you both are together, your free to roam the base" Frasier said.

"I'll come check with you later" she said.

"Bye Doc." He said. "Sir if you need to do things, 'll be more than happy to tag along" Carter stated. She hated being a burden. But she had no choice the life with in her and hers depended on it. But for how long?

_**Several Days Later….**_

The things that needed to be done were by Carter. O'Neill was never one to do paperwork . The proof was the stack sitting on his desk. Carter had plenty to do. She was reviewing items that several of the teams had brought back. Reports were also due if she was going to be released. But this "joining " for choice of a better word, was proving to be quite difficult. As she looked and typed and studied, O'Neill was fidgeting. It was slowly driving her mad. She typed, he stared, she typed more he stared this time picking up one of the items on her desk.

"Sir….please'" she said trying not to sound annoyed.

"What" he said totally was being facetious.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea" Carter said.

"What do you want to do?" she said hoping to maybe just take her laptop to wherever he wanted to go.

"Nothing really" he said.

Not the answer she was hoping for.

"Maybe the gym? We both could use some work-out time" she said hoping he would bite the bait she just threw out.

"Nah" he said.

"Crap" she said to herself.

"Well I need to" she said. She needed to do something to release the tension she was feeling. The close proximity with O'Neill was driving her mad. Her hormones were going hay wire and she didn't know how she was going to last without breaking the frat rules.

"Sir, let's go" she said.

"ok" he said with shrugged shoulders. This was going to be a lot harder than she thought.

_**Two days later….**_

Carter was finally released. Since O'Neill's cabin was a lot nice to be at, he deiced that that is where they would stay. They got to her place, and he waited in the living room and she threw a couple of things in a duffle bag. He had a washer and dryer so she didn't need much clothes, and besides, not much was fitting her these days other than sweats and large fatigues. She finally came out of her room and grabbed some techy stuff the he didn't understand, and they made there way to his truck. As she turned to lock her door, she felt a sudden twinge and verbalized it.

"Ahh" she yelled.

"Carter?" he said as he placed his hand on her back.

"You ok" he said, worried.

"Yea um…" she said as she looked up at him.

"I think she just kicked" she said. They stared at each other. She kicked again and Carter reacted. Without even asking or thinking, he placed his hand where Carter's was . He felt it. Carter was surprised but welcomed it with a smile.

"Wow" he said.

"I think we have a soccer player on our hands" he said. He didn't even realize the context he used.

"We? Our?" Carter asked.

"Wild horses Carter, remember?" he said. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Always, Carter" he said.

Carters heart began to pound hard. If she thought she loved him before, she knew she loved him more now, right at this moment. They stood for a moment smiling at each wanting to hold each other but they didn't. He open the door and she climbed in. This was going to be the longest two weeks of their lives.

"Let's get going" he said, "I wanna get there before it gets dark".

She nodded. She couldn't even speak. God, how she loved this man. Her mind was going a mile a minute. With having this baby then everything was about to change. She could no longer travel through the gate, and technically then she wouldn't be under his command. Her mind raced. Maybe just maybe there could be a chance for them. She knew that he loved her, and she knew that he would love this child once it was born. She could tell that he was already growing attached. She just kept coming up with scenarios in her head. How? Would? Could? Her mind raced so much at one point she shook it in hopes to clear it, and O'Neill noticed it.

"Hey….stop thinking so hard would ya" He said jokingly. He knew she had so much to decide and to decipher. She smiled at him trying to lighten the mood. But he knew. He knew her so well.

"It's going to be ok, Sam…I know it is" he said. The sound of her first name off his lips made her quiver. She couldn't even speak she just smiled back at him.

The car ride was quiet and uneventful. Thank God. Carter was tired. A lot more than usual. Her body still hadn't adapted to her new situation. So rest was always a major necessity. She slept soundly. While he drove. He glanced at her several times. He though How luck am I. To love such a beautiful women" He reached to push away a strand of hair from her face, of course surge proceeding but he had gotten used to it.

They made it to his cabin. Sun was just sitting a beautiful sight to behold. He pulled into the drive way and let her sleep while he put the bags inside. When he came out she was already out of the truck watch the sunset.

"Hey sleepy head" he said to her.

"Hey" she said back. Her arms were wrapped around her. There was a chill in the air.

Lets get you two inside before you catch cold" he said, wanting to wrap his arms around her and be her blanket.

"No" she said softly…."not yet..It's so beautiful" she said as a shiver proceeded to run down her back. O'Neill couldn't help himself. Situations had changed and he knew that decisions needed to be made and difficult decisions at that. So with that thought, he came from behind her and wrapped his arms around her back, to hold her arms close. She tensed quickly. It wasn't something she expected him to do. She knew boundaries were being crossed. Boundaries that may never be able to be recovered. But she too knew that decisions and situations were changing. So just as soon as she tensed up, she relaxed. She leaned back closer into his chest. She needed this. Her fears and worries at time were overwhelming. She just needed to be held by the one she loved so much.

The smell of her scent was intoxicating. It took everything in O'Neill to stop his body from reacting. But he continued to hold her close. How he needed this. He needed for her to know that she was protected. That he would do anything for her.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Jack cooked and they both sat and ate in silence. So much to say but neither of them could find the words to express it. Jack could see that she was tired. So he got up and took both their plates and began to clean up.

"Please Sir, let me clean up this time" she asked.

She hated being waited hand and foot.

"Nope not today, there will plenty of time for that" he said.

"I'll finish up here and maybe if you not too tired we can watch a flick or something" he asked in hopes that she would stay awake long enough to even turn the TV on.

She paused, "O.k….I promise I'll stay up this time" she said, as if she was reading his mind.

He cleaned up, and she took her usual spot on the sofa. She fought back the sleepiness and tried her hardest to stay awake. She hoped he would finish soon, cause she was quickly losing the battle.

"O.k." he said as he made his way to the living room, "What would you like to watch? I have classics, some thrillers I think I even have sci-fi and you know I don't do sci-fi" he said.

She chuckeled, just admiring his features.

"God he's gorgeous" she said to herself, but had to quickly return to reality.

"what-ever is fine with me" she said, knowing she wasn't going to last long.

"Ah, Ah, AH….you sure about that, cause i need to catch up on my Simpsons" he said jokingly.

She gave him that look of "I'll kill you if you put that movie on", but he had been so amazing, she just smiled and said "ok".

He was shocked.

"really?" he asked. "You'll watch the Simpson with me?"

"I don't always watch science, you know" she said.

"Yea right Carter, and my name isn't Jack O'Neill" he shot back.

They both laughed. It was nice. He could tell she was relaxing and that was always a good sign. She made herself comfortable, and he turned the TV on, and they watch it together. It wasn't long before she had fallen asleep. But it was where she fell asleep that had Jack grinning for ear to ear. She had first laid against his arm, as she had many times before. But she had fallen into such a deep sleep that it slowly became his lap. He had struggled to keep her head on his shoulder but realized keeping her down on his lap was a better solution. As she laid there he stroked her hair, and again her beauty amazed him. He slowly was dozing off as well and he knew that he would regret it later if he didn't get them both to bed .So he slowly lifted her up and carried her to bed. The temptation to bring her to his bed was overwhelming but he loved and respected her too much to do that so he brought her to the guest room. As he laid her down, she awoke. She looked at him and said softly "stay"" as the word came out of her mouth, she shocked herself. "Did I just say that?" she asked herself. They both didn't say another word. Neither of them really knowing what to say or do at this point, he looked at her calmly. He won't lie, her question did shock him but he didn't let on. He sat beside her, both starring into each other's eyes. So many years of unresolved issues, and now here they were. He slowly leaned downed and kissed her forehead.

"Always Sam, Always" He said. With that he slid into bed and wrapped his arms around her. She held on to him. Her grip was tight. He could sense her fear, worry in the way she held him. He began to stroke her hair again…"Shhh" he said, "we're going to be ok….shhhh sleep Carter" he said to her. But suddenly he could hear her small whimpers. It wasn't like Carter to give into emotions, but her hormones were going hay wire, and she wasn't able to control them as well as she did before this all started. He let her cry. He knew she needed to release all of the tension she was feeling. He just held her and let her cry into his chest. But it wasn't long before exhaustion overtook her, and she fell asleep against him, cradled under his chin, safe in his embrace. She had dreamed of this for years. And now here she was, safe in the arms of the man she loved, the man who loved her. Though she couldn't figure out how this was going to all pan out, she knew that she wasn't alone, and that his love would sustain them both.

They finally both drifted to sleep. Jack didn't realize how tired he was. He held her close. His sleep was deep and sound probably the best he's ever slept in years. No nightmares no re-occurrences of his black ops days, just sleep. Suddenly the Mistressa began to glow but this time it encompassed both their bodies. She began to draw strength, not only from Carter, but from Jack as well. It knew that it could regain its strength better than any other time, now that they both so close, so it did. As they slept the Mistressa continued to grow stronger. She knew she had chosen the ones. The future of her existence and race depended on it.

_**While at the cabin….**_

There days were spent relaxing. O'Neill checked in periodically with Frasier updating her on Carters condition. She had begun to grow significantly. More than they realized. They weren't sure of when it would happen so Jack kept a close eye on her. They visited the SGC and were shocked by people's reaction. Carter's belly had grown. They didn't realize how fast since they were together every day.

"Wow" Fraiser stated in amazement. Even she was shocked at how fast Carter had progressed. "Let's get you examined"

She did her normal routine and then ended with the sonogram. This time she let O'Neill stay. As she began probing the image became clear on the monitor. O'Neill looked on. That sort of thing always amazed him.

"O.k. well according to my calculations you are about 34 weeks. Sam I'd feel better if you'd stay on base" Frasier stated.

"Janet I feel fine" she said.

"Has she dilated?" they both had shocked looks on their faces, when it was O'Neill asking the question. But he knew the drill.

"Ah no she hasn't sir" Janet said almost stumbling through her words.

"It's up to you Sa…" he paused. He almost called her by her first name, "Carter it's up to you" he said and smiled.

"I'd rather be at the cabin" she said.

"Then the cabin it is" O'Neill stated with that silly grin of his.

"Well then you'll have to promise me you'll call me if anything arises" she said.

"Doc I'll have her here in no time, if something's starts to happen…scouts honor" he said and did the jester of a boy scout.

"Ok…well..then I guess you're free to go" Frasier said.

Carter got dressed and they both made their way back to the cabin. As the weeks went by he could tell that she was getting uncomfortable. Her sleeps weren't as sound and she could barely stand for long periods of time. He watched her like a hawk. Something he never minded doing.

"Hey" he said to her. "You ok?"

"Yea..just sore.."she said rubbing her belly. Seems the Mistressa was playing double time inside her.

"Been hard to sleep."

"I've noticed" he said. After her request for him to stay, they had slept in the same bed ever since.

"I'm sorry.. I haven't meant to wake you" she said regretfully. She tried to reposition herself on the sofa. She began to rub her neck and shoulders. She was stiff all over.

"Hey..no apologies necessary. You're carrying a watermelon. Anyone would be uncomfortable" he said.

He remembered how Sara used to cry at the end of her pregnancy with Charlie. He walked towards her and put his hand out. She reached for it. Now-a-days she needed help to get up.

"Come ere" He said to her.

"You think you can sit on this?" he asked her. He dropped a pillow to the floor.

"What…what are you doing?" she asked.

"I've been told I give excellent massages and it looks you me like you need one" he said.

"Sir really it's ok…" she said. The thought of his hands on her like that made her tremble.

"I insist and Carter please …drop the Sir's would ya" he asked her. Occasionally the Sir's would slip out. After so many years, it was just a habit that was hard to break.

"Well you're going to have to help me down then" she said.

"Not a problem" he said as he grabbed her arms and slowly lowered her down to the floor to sit on the pillow.

She layed back against his legs.

"Hey it's a lot better if you take this off" he said

"Jack?" she said with a questionable tone. She turned to look at him completely bewildered at his request.

"The sweater, Sam the sweater" he said, knowing he need to rephrase that statement fast. He knew she had a tank top underneath and he could have better access to her neck and shoulders.

"Oh..ok..sorry Si….Jack…" she said. Apologizing for her assumption. But oh how she wanted it not to be an assumption. "Control Sam..Control" she said to herself.

He helped her get the sweater off, and placed it nearby in case she got cold. There was some lotion near-by that she used for her belly to prevent stretch marks. He leaned over and grabbed it. He began to slowly massage her neck, smooth yet firm strokes. She started to wonder if this was a good idea. Her hormones were going buck wild, and she didn't know if she could maintain composure. He continued, down her neck, then her shoulders. She began to enjoy so much she verbally let out a sigh. His body reacted to it. He had to constantly tell himself, he couldn't go there. He knew it was working because he felt her relaxing, and the knots disappearing. He definitely had a gift. She was in awe of how he knew where every ache was. Almost as if he was reading her mind. He continued to massage her, and could feel her becoming completely relaxed. She again let out a small whimper.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, knowing very well that he did not. But he had to lighten the mood if not he was going to explode.

"Huh..oh no ..no not at all..quite the opposite…." She said with a smile. By this time she was turning bright red. She was completely embarrassed. She knew that he hadn't hurt her, and she also knew that he knew exactly what the whimper was. Oh how she wanted so much more. At this point there situations had changed. She didn't know what was ahead of her. She technically didn't have to be under his command anymore since gate travel wasn't happening. Once the child was born, would she want to being traveling to other planets, not knowing what danger she might come against, and have the chance of dying, and leaving the child with no one. She couldn't put it through that, knowing what she had been through already, so much to think about. With that she began to tense up again. Jack could sense it and feel it.

"hey…you're thinking again aren't you" he said.

"Sorry Si…Jack…it's just….so much has changed, will change…." " Once she's born, I don't know if I'll be able to travel through that gate again. Every-time we do, there is no guarantee of coming back. What will she do then? She's been through enough, I can't see putting her through that." She said.

"Samantha….there is another option you know?" he said. By this time she had maneuvered herself to face him.

"I can always retire" he said. She paused and looked at him. She knew he had said always, and that she was going to go through this alone, but to what extent? She didn't know.

"I can't ask you to do that Jack" She said.

"you had nothing to do with this. I can't expect you to take responsibility for it" she said.

She never expected him to become father of this child. She always knew that most likely she would be raising this child alone.

He realized that she hadn't believed him when he said "always". So with that he lifted her off the floor and sat her on the sofa.

"Sam..how many times do I need to tell you. You are not going through this alone. When I said always, I meant it. Not just for the pregnancy but for everything…everything " he said.

He could see she was confused. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He would give up his career to take care of a child that wasn't even his? There was so much to process. He could see her mind going a mile a minute to configure every possibility and factor of this.

"Oh the hell with it" he said, as he cupped her face with his hand, he leaned in and kissed her. But this time it was on her lips. It was a soft kiss that lingered just for a moment. He then leaned back only to see a quite shocked Samantha Carter.

"Jack…" she whispered. She could barely get the word out. "He kissed me" she said to herself. She thought she was dreaming.

"I love you Samantha Carter" he said it. He actually verbalized it. But this time it wasn't while she was supposedly sleeping, or to a being that was glowing. It was right to her face.

She didn't know what to say. She just sat there. He was freaking out. She was quiet. "Did she not feel the same way?" he asked himself.

Suddenly she broke the silence. "I know" she said. She looked at him with that amazing smile. "and I love you" she said back, this time returning the kiss. But it wasn't just a soft kiss. It was filled with passion, passion that she had subdued for too long. They kissed for which seem like an eternity. Oh how he wanted to take it further, but he knew in her state, that it might not be such a good idea. The broke apart, for they were running out of air. They leaned into each other's foreheads.

"So what does this mean?" She asked out of breathe, wanting to badly take this further.

"It means that I love, a beautiful women, by the name of Samantha Carter, it also means that I'm going to be a dad." He said.

She smiled at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you Jack, I love you" she kept saying as she held him tightly. They held each other, an embrace than meant so much more now than ever. He loved her, she loved him. Nothing could stand in their way.


	28. Chapter 28

They stayed in each others arms for hours. Neither of them wanting the night to end. Both wanting so much more, but it would have to wait for the right time. Jack broke the sweet silence.

"Hey…why don't I start you a warm bath" he said.

He needed to step away from the situation before he couldn't control himself.

"mm..that sounds great just about now?" Sam replied. She looked at him. Oh how she loved this man. She smiled and he smiled back, as he made his way to the bathroom.

"Oh My God" she said to herself. Is this really happening? Did he just kiss me? did I just kiss him back? She was in total awe. Her very dream had come true. She sat there and began to day dream. Oh how she wished her fantasies would come true. But all in good time, all in good time. As he returned from the bathroom, all ready for her to soak and bathe, he could see her on the sofa, day dreaming. He had an inkling of what she was dreaming about. How he wished he could make it reality, but that time would come soon enough.

"hey" he called out to her. She didn't respond. He didn't want to startle her so he came closer to her and touched her shoulder. No success. She jumped.

"Jack…I didn't see you come out of the bathroom" she said.

"Ah Yea..i kind of got that…..dreaming were we" he said with that sinister smile of his.

She didn't say nothing. But the shade of red that she was turning completely gave her away. He knew exactly where her mind was. Why? Because his mind was there was well.

"Your bath is ready….it's not to hot or anything…just warm enough to soak in…." He tried to lighten the mood.

"Thanks Jack…" she said as she tried to get up from the sofa. Obviously needing, help he came to her side and lifted her up.

"You gonna be ok in there?" he asked. Wondering how she was going to get down in the tub. He should of thought about that sooner.

"Ahh…Yea..I'll be fine" she said.

"O.k. Well we are running low on groceries…so…." He said pausing. They were able to be apart for longer periods. Several hours apart were o.k. now. So he felt it was o.k. to go get some stuff, and he needed the time away to cool himself down. He grabbed his keys, and checked on her one more time. She was already in the bathroom so he just shouted through the door.

"Sam you need anything?" he asked.

She heard him through the door. She didn't respond quickly because she honestly wanted to say "you jack, You I need you" but she digressed..

"No..I'm good…Thanks Jack" she replied.

"You sure your betcha" he replied back. Oh this man was a happy man. He even had an extra kick to his step. He had finally said it. He had finally kissed this women that he had loved for so long. Could life get anymore better.

Sam was soaking in her bath. That he made it for her, made it the best bath she had ever had. She just sat and soaked. Her rubbed her belly with body wash, and started to hum. She even shocked herself. But she started to hum, the song her mother used to sing to her. Realizing that all the fears and uncertainties she had for so many months, were just melting away. Jack loved her. He wanted her and this child even if it wasn't his. Just thinking of it made her grin from ear to ear. She started to doze when she suddenly heard a bang outside the door.

"he must of forgotten something" she said to herself.

"Hey you…did you forget something?" she yelled out, as she started to get out of the bath, and dry herself off. She made her way to the door, only for it to slam open. It wasn't Jack. She screamed only for a man dressed in black to cover her mouth. She fought as hard as she could but she didn't have the strength, before she knew she was fading. She was unconscious.

_**Several Hours Later……..**_

Sam slowly began to wake up. She was groggy and confused. "Where am I" "What's going on" she verbalized. Suddenly it all came back to her. She immediately tried to get up, but she was strapped to the bed. She tried to focus to get her bearings, but she was still too groggy. She remembered the Mistressa, and how it said it would protect her. So she began to try to communicate with it.

"Are you there" she said to herself. "can you hear me?" she asked her. "We're in trouble. These people are bad, they want to hurt us" she said, but nothing happened. She knew that the Mistressa had gained strength, since jack could be away from her and she didn't grow ill. But they were never apart for more than a couple of hours. Now she worried that she would get weak and ill again. As she struggled with the constraints someone walked into the room.

"Good Morning Major Carter…I hope you slept well" he said.

"Who are you? What do you want…let me go" she yelled back. Fighting against the strap that held her down.

"Ah, AH, ah,…..you don't want to hurt yourself or that baby of yours do you" he said. She knew that she had to be careful Her life wasn't he only one at stake here. So she calmed down.

"now you need to rest. This baby is almost here and we want it in the best of health" he said. This might be the very thing that will give us world domination" he said.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Now Major carter. I know you already know, the answer to that question" he said.

"You're NID aren't you" she said. "get the lady a prize" he said sarcastically. She glared at him wanting to tear his head off. She knew she had to find out as much information about who had abducted her if she had any chance to get out of there.

_**Meanwhile at the cabin….**_

Jack's head was spinning in circle. He came home to find his door slammed in and Carter missing. The house was swarming with agents combing the area for clues as to where or who could have taken her.

"Colonel what happened?" Hammond asked. He knew that this could be a matter of national security so even he came out to investigate.

"Sir.. I just went to get groceries.. I wasn't even gone an hour" he said.

"What were you to doing before you left" Hammond asked. He looked at Hammond.

"We were just sitting on the sofa talking. I ran her a hot bath. She was sore and uncomfortable, so I thought that would help. Then I left for the store" Jack said just leaving a few details out.

"As of late we noticed that we could be apart for short spurts of time and she would be o.k. I didn't see it being a problem just running to the store" Jack said as he threw his fist to the door.

"Son…take it easy" Hammond said. "We'll find her". He knew that the two of them had grown close.

"I was supposed to protect her Sir…great job I did at that" Jack said, rubbing his knuckles. That definitely was going to leave a bruise, he thought to himself.

The people were all over the house, collecting samples of almost everything they could get there hands on. Jack just watched. He was hating himself right now. Then suddenly a voice came from the distance. It was Sam's.

"Jack help us please" she begged.

"Sam" he yelled.

"Colonel" Hammond asked. "You ok"

"You did hear that?" Jack said.

"Hear what" Hammond said.

"It was Sa-," "it was Carter, Sir" he said to Hammond.

"Colonel….there was no one saying anything" Hammond stated. He was starting to worry about his Commanding officer.

"Sorry Sir, I could of sworn I heard Carters voice" he said. Realizing he probably just imagined it. He wanted her back so badly.

Only for him to again hear her voice……"Jack..please hurry.." she said.

"ok..what the hell is going on?" Jack yelled.

"Sorry..i can hear her…she keeps telling me to hurry…to help her" Jack said.

"Son…you" Hammond started to speak only to be interrupted by Daniel.

"Wait…Sir…that might be it…" He said. Hammond looked perplexed.

"Jack..if she calls out again…call to her..answer her…" Daniel said.

For a brief moment, Jack looked at him awkwardly. But he knew that he was connected to Sam and the only way that was, was through the Mistressa So he waited. They all looked perplexed. But all they cared about was getting Sam back safely. So if they had to stand on their heads, they would stand on their heads. So Jack waited. They stood in silence hoping that Jack would hear her voice again.


	29. Chapter 29

_**Back at the compound….**_

They poked and prodded Carter. They continued to draw blood. She was afraid they'd drain her dry.

"Stop..please…stop" she begged.

"We'll let you rest for now Carter. We will also bring some food. We must keep you healthy. You carry the future of our world within you, and that is what we want" he said.

Carter couldn't understand why the Mistressa hadn't done anything. On more than one occasion it said that if it was harmed, that it would fight back. Why hadn't she?

"Why won't you do something" she said to herself. She knew she didn't need to speak it. Just thinking it was enough. She also didn't want to give herself away, that she can communicate with it. But nothing. Carter was beginning to panic. She had no idea of what they we were pumping her with and she knew that she didn't have much time before the baby came. But she had no way out. All she could think about was Jack. She almost willed him to hear her.

_**Several Days Later……..**_

Days had gone by and nothing. O'Neill knew that Carter was close, but he couldn't figure out where she was till that night. Jack was asleep …as he slept he heard a voice calling to him…

"Jack…Jack…." He pounced out of bed…

"Yes…you are hearing me..Sam is in trouble, you must come to save us" the voice said.

"What the" he said.

"Don't be afraid…." It said

"So you're really in my head, talking to me" Jack replied. Feeling quite silly talking to himself.

"Listen carefully" it said strongly, " I am not strong enough to fight these people who have abducted us. You are to far away and I need your energy to destroy them" it said.

When Jack finally realized h e wasn't imagining things, he quickly rose to his feet.

"I'm listening" he said. The Mistressa began to give him landings, and areas to where he would be able to find out where they were. He immediately left for the SGC. Once he arrived he ran to General Hammonds office.

"Sir" he said all out of breathe.

"Colonel" Hammond said. He was startled by O'Neill's urgency.

"Carter….I know where she is?"

"What…How" Hammond asked.

He then realized that didn't matter.

"SG13 and 14" is all he had to say.

"Thank you Sir" O'Neill said. In less than an hour O'Neill had SG13 and 14 ready for an invasion. They all packed up their gear and headed to the warehouse were Carter was being held. They surrounded the compound, O'Neill with his black ops training had the teams strategically positioned. The warehouse was surrounded. He wasn't going to get this wrong.

_**Inside the Compound………**_

Carter began to feel contractions. But she did not let on. She tried to keep them to herself as best as she possible could.

"Hang on Carter" the voice said.

"Jack is here and he's not alone. The closer he gets to you the stronger I feel….They will not hurt us anymore" it said.

"If you could tell them to hurry" Carter said in her mind.

"It seems you want to come sooner than I thought"

"Yes…you're body seems to be reacting….I will stop them" it said. And as soon as it said it, Carters contractions subsided.

"I am ready to be born, but not until we are safe. I will hold on for as long as I can" it said.

"Yea…I'd appreciate that" Carter thought. She had never experienced labor, and did not want to go through it alone. She was petrified. She had faced the Goau'ld, the replicators but this terrified her the most.

SG13 had found an entrance. They all entered quickly slowly and silently, picking off everyone that came in there way.

"Are we close" he thought, hoping it was sensing him.

"Yes" it said. Jack continued down the corridor giving the teams signals to watch his six. He continued down the corridors and entered a room. There she was.

"Carter" he called to her. He ran to her.

"Are you o.k." he asked.

"Um..she's coming Jack" Carter said. She was so scared. He could see it in her eyes.

"You have to get me to Janet, Jack" she said to him with urgency.

He untied the straps around her legs and hands, and lifted her off the bed. Only to see that her water had broken.

"Ah Carter" he said.

"I know Jack. We need to get out of here fast" she said, knowing she didn't have much time.

"I've already have contractions, but she is holding them off…but she doesn't know how long she will be able to keep them at bay" she said.

"Let's go" Jack said. He didn't even let her finish. As they left the room, gun fire came from the distance.

"Sir..we are under fire" SG13 chimed in. "I hear ya SG13, we are on our way."

Suddenly the voice spoke but to both of them." You need to hold each other", it said.

"Did you just hear …" he said "yea I did" Carter replied.

He immediately grabbed her and held her close. That is when it began. The Mistressa began to glow, brighter and brighter until it encompassed them both. But now it had taken over the entire room, and it continued to grow. Before long the entire warehouse was a ball of light. But just as fast as it started it ended. Jack was the first to look around. He saw Carter cradled in his arms.

"Hey you ok?" he asked her. He could feel how tight she was grasping to his arm.

"No" she said. Her face grimaced in pain. "God Jack, this hurts" she said. The contractions had started again. "I need Janet Jack, please" Carter begged.

"Hang in there Carter…hang on" he said. This time lifting her in his arms, and making his way out.

Once they left the corridor, they were met with bodies. Bodies everywhere. The Mistressa had killed everyone. His heart sunk. Did the Mistressa know between the SG teams and the NID's? All he could hope was that she did.

"SG13, Sg14 can you read" he spoke into his walkie. "Sg13 Sg14, can you read, he said again"

Silence. No response. They both knew that this would definitely have consequences if the Mistressa killed the teams. The continue to walk through the corridor. Carter couldn't move to fast. The contractions were getting fierce.

"God Jack…" Carter said through clinched teeth. The pain was getting unbearable.

"Sam, just hang on, try to hang on" Jack said trying to get her out of there. They found the exit, but were shocked to find both SG teams sprawled all over.

"Dear God" Jack said. Carter, who's head was buried in his shoulder looked up, at Jacks statement. Only to be shocked as well.

"Oh my God, ….No" she said.

"Carter I'm gonna put you down for a sec. I just need to see…" "Go, go" she said.

Jack placed her down against the wall, so he can check to see if any of his teams made it. He slowly walked towards one airmen, and looked for a pulse. At first he didn't feel anything. His heart sank. If the Mistressa killed them all, he knew the government would be playing a huge role in this child's life. He checked again hoping maybe something.

"Jack…" Carter suddenly yelled. The contractions were getting closer , there wasn't much time before this child was born, and Carter was barely holding on.

As he turned to look at her, his was still on the soldier, and there it was. A pulse. He took a breathe of relief. The soldier slowly began to come too.

"Sir" he said "what the hell happened"

"I'll explain later, we have to get Major Carter back to the SGC ASAP" Jack said.

"Go Sir, I'll take care of the teams, go" he said.

Jack looked at the young solider and said "Thank you".

He ran back to Carter swooped her up and ran to the vans parked outside. He couldn't drive fast enough.

"Ahhh," Carter yelled and she held on to her belly.

"Sam….." he said.

He was worried about her.

"J—a—ck…..ahhh….i can't do this" she cried in agony.

"Oh yes you can Carter. Don't you do give up now…you've come to far" he said. Trying to snap her into military mode.

"We are almost there, you hang on, do you hear me Major Carter?" he yelled to her.

"Carter…..Carter" he yelled to her. He turned to look at her. She was unconscious.

"What the" he said. He finally reached the SGC. He called Dr. Frasier on his cell, and alerted her that they were on there way down. He couldn't press the button fast enough. Here he had the women he loved with all his mind and soul, in his arms, with the child that he had already grown to love, and she was unconscious. The doors open.

"Get her on the gernie. Go, go…" Dr. Frasier yelled.

"Sir, what happened?" she said as they ran into the infirmary.

"Her water broke Janet, and she started to get contractions. It tried to stop them, but I guess it didn't work. She was hanging in there, but she passed out in the van."

"OK…lets get her on a fetal monitor fast," Fraiser yelled.

"Sir, please wait out here. I'll call you in as soon as I have something ok" she said.

Jack sat in the hallway. What felt like hours were barely minutes. He suddenly heard a scream. It was Sam. She was no longer unconscious.

"Carter don't push" Frasier said.

"Oh God, Janet please….i have to push.." Carter yelled.

Frasier ran out to the hallway.

"Sir it's time" she said. " Are you ready for this" she asked.

"You sure you betcha" he said. He was smiling from ear to ear. Hearing Carter, he knew she was o.k. Now it was time to see this child that they both had grown to love.

He walked in only to see a Sam Carter in excruciating pain.

"Jack" she cried out to him. First name, last name, military regs or not, she didn't care. She just needed the man she loved beside her right then and now.

"I'm here Sam, you can do this, you hear me you can do this" he said to her.

"O.k. sam….i need you to bear down, and push" Frasier said.

Carter did just that, and before you knew it, there it was …the most beautiful sound, the cry, her little cry.

She was born. The life Carter was carrying, protecting, sustaining it's life, was now here. That little life just came from the women he loved so much. For the first time, the nurses, Doctors, saw Colonel Jack O'Neill with tears in his eyes. What a moment.

They placed her on Sam's stomach, she wailed and wailed. All good signs. Sam was exhausted. She could barely lift her head to see the small body laying against her stomach.

"Hey" Jack said. "She's here, Sam, she's here" he said to her.

They wrapped her up and placed her into Sam's arm. Sam was in awe. This little life. Her wailing immediately stopped when she looked up at Sam. She knew who she was. It was an amazing site to see.

"Sam, I'm just gonna take her and check her out, o.k.?" Frasier said as she took the small infant out of her arms.

"you did it Sam, you did it" Jack said as he kissed her forehead.

"I have never loved you more than I do now" he said. The nurses and Doctors stood still. He professed the love he had for her in public. He didn't care. It was the most amazing site he had ever seen. He didn't know he could love her anymore than he already did, but he did.

AS they stared into each others eyes for a brief moment they forgot where they were, but the moment was brief.

"Nurse, nurse" Dr. Frasier yelled.

Her voice snapped Sam and Jack back into reality.

"Doc..what's going on, is she o.k?" Jack asked. With the bustle of the med team, he knew something was up.

"Janet…is she..is she ok?" Sam asked, trying to sit up and see what was going on.

Frasier came to their side.

"She's having trouble breathing. We are going to take her to ICU" Frasier said. She was worried, but was trying not to let them see it.

"Janet…" Carter barely got out…tears starting to build up in her eyes.

"She's strong Carter….she's going to be ok" Frasier said with much hope.

They had been through hell and back, and yet it seemed that fate still would not grant them a break. Here they were professed love finally attained, but at what cost. Would the child that they both loved, live, and allow them the life they both wanted for so many years? Would they have that chance?


	30. Chapter 30

_**Several Weeks Later ...**_

It took several weeks for the little one to stabilize. Sam and Jack didn't leave her side. They would rotate to allow each other some sleep, but never was she alone. Sam would sit with her, and hold her little hand.

"Hey, how you holding up?" Janet said. She could see the exhaustion in Sam's eye.

"I'm ok" she responded back. Janet knew she was lying, but she let it be.

"Sam...I've been thinking. Remember when you said that she told you she had to adapt to your physical make-up" Janet stated to her.

"I have a feeling that, that is what might be happening right now. She's been in your womb, already adapted to you. Now she is in a foreign world, our air, everything is different for her. She has a lot to get used to" Janet said trying to reassure her.

Sam didn't say anything. She just looked at Janet and gave her a small smile. By this time Jack had walked in with some blue jello for Sam. He could tell the tone of the room was serious, so he tried to break the tension.

"Hello Ladies" he said.

Sam looked at him. She wasn't in the mood for humor right now, but she knew he meant well. She took the jello from him and placed it on the table next to her. She hadn't been able to the child since she was born. She was eager to feel her against her.

"Janet, can I hold her?" she asked.

"you know what Sam, I think that would help a great deal. Let's get you in a gown, she will need to be against your bare skin, so, I'll close the curtain to give you guys some privacy." Janet said as she began to prep the little one.

Carter sat down, and Janet placed the newborn on Sam's chest. Sam didn't know how much she loved this little girl till she felt her against her. She held her close, as tight as she could without harming her. They all just stood there. Jack is amazement on how beautiful Sam looked, holding her. Oh how he loved this woman.

"You know Sam, this little girl needs a name" Janet said. With all the commotion that was going on, they hadn't named her yet. Sam looked down at the child that laid across her chest. The only name she found worthy of naming her was, the name of the woman that she dwelled in first. "Amiri, her name will be Amiri" Sam said. She looked at Jack, he smiled.

"Perfect" he said, as he walked closer and kissed Sam, and the top of Amiri's head. Janet gave them some privacy. Jack and Sam just sat with little Amiri. No words spoken, none needed to be. Their love for each other spoke volumes.

Suddenly, as they sat there, little Amiri began to glow. The little girl was a small ball of light that got brighter and brighter..

"JAAANNEET" jack yelled.

"No, no...let it happen.." Sam said. He had a feeling this was a good thing.

Janet came running. "Sam" she said, as she saw Amiri glowing.

They all just stood there. The light went on for awhile, but then dimmed slowly. They looked at little Amiri. Her coloring had changed, no longer did she look pale, she had a healthy look to her. Janet immediately came to Sam's side. She smiled. She knew that this was all a good sign. She took her from Sam, to reassess her.

"It's ok, sam" Janet said. "Let me take her. It's all good" Janet try to reaffirm in Carter.

Carter didn't want to let her go, but she did, for she knew that Janet only wanted to make sure she was ok. But as Janet laid her in the bassinet, suddenly something they hadn't heard since she was born, she cried. They all paused for a second. But Amiri sure didn't. She started to wail at the top of her lungs.

"She's got a set of pipes on her" Jack said smiling. Knowing that everything was going to be ok.

She continued to wail and scream during the entire examination. Sam was getting restless. Although hearing Amiri cry was all a good sign, it was beginning to bother her. All she wanted to do was hold her. Janet was finally done. She wrapped her back up.

"I think someone wants to be back and her Mommy's arms" Janet said.

"Mommy" Sam thought. No one had really used those words with her yet.

Janet laid Amiri on top of Sam's bare chest, and the child immediately settled down.

Sam grinned from ear to ear, all Amiri wanted was to be in her mothers arms. It made Sam feel like a million bucks.

By this time Jack had retired from the military, and Sam had taken a civilian role with the SGC. Although Jack was technically retired, they still consulted with him on occasion, and he was fine with that. Hammond understood, and for once Sam and Jack deserved some happiness after all, they have saved the world more than anyone could count.

As each day came, Amiri grew stronger and stronger. The light within her diminished, and she slowly began to become a normal little girl. Sam and Jack wondered if she would ever remember the ordeal she went through. They hoped she didn't and that she would be able to live a normal life. Only time would tell. All they knew was the love they had for this little girl, and the love they had for each other would pull them through anything.

The end!


End file.
